MARK NICHOLLS Royal soldier Prince Harry has been in Norfolk to complete his battle training ahead of being posted to Iraq, it emerged last night.The EDP has learned that the 22-year-old Prince, from the Blues and Royals Regiment, was at the Stanta Battle Area near Thetford yesterday as part of a critical final stage of his preparation for deployment.

MARK NICHOLLS

Royal soldier Prince Harry has been in Norfolk to complete his battle training ahead of being posted to Iraq, it emerged last night.

The EDP has learned that the 22-year-old Prince, from the Blues and Royals Regiment, was at the Stanta Battle Area near Thetford yesterday as part of a critical final stage of his preparation for deployment.

However, the Ministry of Defence has denied that the Prince was being trained in kidnap scenario techniques by being hooded and snatched by armed enemy kidnappers before being rescued by special forces soldiers using tear gas and stun grenades.

Harry, who is third in line to the throne, has made it clear that he wants to go to Iraq and operate in the same way as other soldiers in his regiment.

But security chiefs fear that he may be a high profile target for al Qaida or other Iraqi insurgents to kidnap and hold as a hostage or parade on TV.

A number of terrorist websites are already listing threats against the Prince ahead of him being sent to Iraq where more than 100 British soldiers have been killed.

The Prince's regiment is due to deploy to Iraq in the next few weeks.

As with all forces bound for Iraq, or Afghanistan, they have undergone intensive training in all aspects of warfare, terrain and language barriers they will come across in the Gulf region as well as unexpected events and incidents they may well encounter while based in the southern part of the country.

Those soldiers heading out for any major deployment undergo a crucial part of their training on Stanta, which has been adapted to more accurately represent the conflict zones they will be expected to operate in.

Buildings designed to replicate the streets or Northern Ireland have been modified to now be more representative of what the Prince's regiment will encounter when in Basra or the villages in the arid landscape that surrounds Iraq's second city.

The MoD last night refused to discuss specific personnel that were involved in training on Stanta this week, or confirm whether the Prince was present.

But a spokesman added: “It is routine for all troops to conduct their pre-deployment training in the Stanta area.”