Her Majesty will arrive at Preston Railway Station at around 10am on Thurday June 26 where people will be able to watch her depart the Royal train.

Jane Cole, from Virgin Trains, said: "They can stand on platform four behind the barriers and the Queen will get off the train on platform three. But they need to be there at 9.30am at the latest or they might not get on the platform."

Then the Queen will go to Singleton's Dairy in Longridge, for 10.30am, where pupils from Longridge High School will line the driveway.

She will be given a tour and meet staff at the dairy and is then expected to arrive at Fulwood Barracks at 11.45am where The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will be the first of the new infantry regiments to be presented with new colours.

Capt Jon Gilbody said: "It's a massive occasion, not just for us but for the families.

"The colours are flags but they are more significant than that – the presentation of them only happens every 25 to 35 years.

"They can't be moved around without an armed escort and they take a long time to make.

"Once the colours retire, they go into the regimental museum and are priceless."

Due to the scale of the event, it is closed to the public, but onlookers are expected to gather outside for the Queen's first visit to the barracks since 1979.

After the parade and presentation of colours, Her Majesty will have lunch with senior officers and selected soldiers before meeting various groups of people. An official photograph will be taken and the Queen is expected to depart at around 3pm.

Visit lep.co.uk on Thursday for full coverage of The Queen's visit to Preston and pick up a copy of Friday's Lancashire Evening Post.

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