PEOPLE in Monmouthshire have been making the final preparations for a visit by the Princess Royal tomorrow.

Princess Anne, who visited Dingestow, near Monmouth, last year, will visit Caldicot, Llandogo and Chepstow during her tour of the area tomorrow.

Monmouthshire council leader Councillor David Waring said: "Everybody is looking forward to the royal visit and it is very nice to have Princess Anne in the county."

Caldicot Leisure Centre invited the Princess Royal to open their new extension.

Dave Skinner, trainee duty manager, said: "People at the leisure centre are looking forward to seeing her and maybe even meeting her."

The 400 residents of Llandogo will be out in force tomorrow to watch Princess Anne officially open the new community hall.

The new Millennium Hall in Llandogo will replace the original building, which was constructed just after the Second World War, and will offer activities from yoga and disabled bowls to after-school clubs.

The hall was built with the aid of a £170,000 grant from the Cynnal - 21st Century Halls for Wales scheme which has helped in the building or refurbishment of 47 village and community halls in Wales.

And in Chepstow the Princess Royal will make a visit to the new Flood Alleviation Scheme and meet the people involved in the scheme.

The scheme, which was opened by Welsh environment minister Sue Essex a year ago, has helped to reduce the risk of flooding in Chepstow.

Councillor Gwyn Eburne, councillor for St Mary's, Chepstow, and member of the Wye Flood Defence Committee, said: "Chepstow was at risk of tidal flooding at least five or six times a year."

Ms Eburne said: "The flood alleviation scheme has now been finished for a year and we have had no problems in the past year." The project, which has taken six years from first suggestion to completion, involved building strong deep walls to stop water going into the banks,and in other areas they have raised the level of the ground by three or four feet to take it above the flood level.

Ms Eburne said: "I have never met Princess Anne before and I am quite looking forward to meeting her tomorrow.

"I am delighted that she is coming to Chepstow, and it will allow her to see a successful scheme and an example of people working together."