I HEAR THAT QUEEN VISITS FARMER HERE

Yes. Following her successful visit to the castles of Bristol, the Queen spent yesterday with Bill Plaice of Charmouth in the county of Dorset.

A grower of beets and keeper of the sheep, Mr Plaice entertained his royal visitor in a guest paddock caravan reserved for occasions.

Carefully sited in a discrete field and away from the prying eyes of the chamber of vicars who keep a house of prayer in Whitchurch Canonicorum, her Majesty spent over three hours discussing pigeon racing and other bird matters with Mr Plaice.

"A very humble lady," Mr Plaice told me, "although rather German. I'm missing a pair of sugar tongs."

The tongs were found later in a hedge outside Hampshire.