THE Duke of Edinburgh's royal protection officer and a team of security police visited Wadworth's Northgate Brewery in Devizes yesterday in advance of the royal visit to the town on May 4.

The Duke is calling in on the brewery to mark the 30th anniversary of the return of horse-drawn drays for delivering beer to licensed premises in the town.

It is hoped he will be able to take the reins of a dray through the Market Place and into the High Street. A car will then take him to Crammer Court in Church Walk where he will open the new sheltered housing which has been built on the site of the original 1960s development.

The royal protection team have to be satisfied that it is safe for Prince Philip, who will be 83 in June, to take the driver's seat on the dray.

The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sir Maurice Johnston, was also present yesterday afternoon as the officers toured the brewery.

Jonathan Pollock, Wadworth public relations manager, said: "They went over the place with a fine-tooth comb. They know what to look for and were very businesslike about it."

But a decision whether the Duke will be able to drive the dray has not yet been reached. The royal protection team will discuss the situation before letting the brewery know in the next few days.

Although Prince Philip is a highly experienced competitor in carriage driving, he will hardly need to tell the Wadworth shire horses where they have to go. Buscot, Royal, Wilt and Tom are well used to the route around the town.

He will be shown around the brewery and will be given lunch. He will spend an hour at Crammer Court, where he will meet residents.

It will be the Duke's first visit to Devizes.