Winter weather has sunk a visit by King Charles to support the Brechin victims of Storm Babet.
The King had been due to make a private visit to the Angus town on Tuesday.
But with winter weather badly affecting the area the decision was taken to call off the royal event.
It has also been confirmed the 75-year-old monarch is to undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate next week.
Buckingham Palace said the King’s condition is benign but he will undergo a “corrective procedure”.
His public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation, the palace said.
Due to meet with locals and emergency services
It is understood King Charles was to have met with residents whose lives were torn apart by the October disaster.
And he was also due to speak to emergency personnel at the heart of the rescue operation.
Residents had to be rescued by boat after hundreds of homes in the River Street area were deluged.
It came after the River South Esk breached the £16 million Brechin flood defences in the early hours of October 20.
The King and Queen sent a message of support to the town just days after the disaster.
The monarch spoke of his “special thoughts and sympathy” for the people of Brechin.
“Our hearts go out to all those whose lives and homes have been so affected by this disaster,” he said at the time.
Major devastation
It is hoped the King’s visit will be re-arranged for another date.
But the postponement was made on safety grounds after the winter blast which led to all of Brechin’s schools being closed on Tuesday.
He would have been brought up to date with the multi-million pound repair bill Angus is facing.
In early December, council chiefs said a £4m estimate to repair roads and bridges was likely to rise significantly.
The work includes structural repairs to Brechin Bridge, which carries the A933 into Brechin.
It has been shut since the storm but engineers hope to have it re-opened by the end of February.
But it later emerged that desperate pleas for Scottish Government help went unanswered in the wake of the disaster.
First Minister Humza Yousaf pledged support for Brechin when he visited the town a few days after the event.
However, former council chief executive Margo Williamson fired off an angry email to the Scottish Government on October 31 to air her frustration over a lack of support.
Affected households received £1,500 grants and businesses £3,000 as part of a lifeline scheme.
Hospital treatment
News of the King’s prostate treatment came just an hour-and-a-half after Kensington Palace announced the Princess of Wales was recovering in hospital following abdominal surgery, and would be recuperating and away from official duties for up to three months.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “In common with thousands of men each year, the King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate.”
It is understood Charles was keen to share the details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked in line with public health advice.
Scottish engagements planned for later this week have been postponed on the advice of doctors.
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