The Queen last visited Tyneside and Wearside two years ago, but she also made visits in the years surrounding her Coronation. Sarah Foster, Paul White and Lucia Charnock report

THE Queen has been a fairly frequent visitor to the region throughout her 50 years reign - touring the area twice in the past five years.

One of her earliest visits was in April 1946, as Princess Elizabeth, six years before her coronation, when she went to Sunderland to launch the British Princess at Laing's shipyard. She also opened the Sir John Priestman Durham County and Sunderland Eye Infirmary.

But it was her lunch at the shipyard, where the meal was provided by the firm's own canteen staff, which caused the biggest stir.

It was believed to be the first time a member of the Royal Family had taken lunch supplied by a works canteen, the manageress of which, Miss G Willis, supervised.

As she left Wearside, she said: "I have enjoyed every minute of my visit."

There was an excited frenzy among the crowds when she and the Duke of Edinburgh next visited Tyneside and Sunderland, in October 1954. It was her first visit as Queen.

Even though torrential rain threatened to prevent last-minute preparations, it was hailed as a "triumphant visit", as more than a million people turned out.

Police had a problem keeping the crowds under control, and some people were thrown against the buttresses of the town hall at Sunderland.

Members of Her Majesty's guard of honour had to throw their weight behind the police's efforts but the "surging masses" stopped some of the invited guests from getting to say farewell to the couple.

From Sunderland, the Queen went to Wallsend, staying 20 minutes for elevenses with the mayor and mayoress.

Chants of "We want the Queen" were taken up and, to the surprise of those watching and in a break from the planned events, she appeared on the town hall balcony to wave and smile at the watching crowds.

Six-year-old Linda Dale, of Whitley Bay, was chosen to present a bouquet to the Queen at Monkseaton, having missed out on meeting the Princess Royal in April that year because of a bout of mumps.

In more recent times, she and Prince Philip arrived at Bede's World museum, Jarrow, on December 7, 2000, to open a £4m extension, including an exhibition and conference centre and the refurbished Jarrow Hall.

The Queen ate a lunch prepared by catering students from South Tyneside College, and was presented with a gold brooch by Bishop Auckland silversmith Les Howe.

During the same trip, the couple unveiled a 150th anniversary plaque at the Central Station, Newcastle, and visited the International Centre for Life.

She stopped off at Sunderland Royal Infirmary's new neonatal unit, while the Duke of Edinburgh visited Wallsend's Segedunum Roman fort and museum.

On a previous trip to the area, in May 1997, the Queen opened the £1.1bn Siemens semiconductor plant, in Wallsend. She predicted that the plant would make the UK a world leader in microchip technology, but a year later, it was mothballed with the loss of 1,000 jobs.

The Queen also opened the magistrates' court complex at Millbank, South Shields, while Prince Philip opened the Seaburn headquarters of the 607 (Wearmouth) Squadron of the Air Training Corps.

The couple were shown round St James' Park by Newcastle United chairman Sir John Hall, and met United's then manager, Kenny Dalglish, and some of the squad.