Queen to visit Ballater residents hit by Storm Frank floods

The Queen is visiting Ballater to meet people affected by severe flooding last December.

Aberdeenshire Council said around 600 homes and 100 businesses were devastated when the River Dee burst its banks and swept through the village and surrounding areas amid Storm Frank.

During her visit, the Queen will hear from locals about their recovery efforts in the months following the floods.

The visit will begin with a walk along Bridge Street to see businesses at various stages of repair and rebuild.

She will then head to Glenmuick Church to meet people whose homes were flooded.

While at the church she will also meet community members who played a crucial role in the response to the crisis, including representatives from Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the Rotary Club, the hall committee, the Ballater Chiels and Aberdeenshire Council.

The Queen will then take a drive through Ballater Caravan Park to view the landscape which was heavily impacted by floodwaters, and a section of the site which reopened in May.

Her visit will end with a short reception at Ballater Golf Club to celebrate its reopening.

Ballater is close to Balmoral Castle, the Queen's private residence in Scotland.