What are your memories of the Prince's stay at Aberystwyth and how difficult was it to keep security tight?

John Owen Evans:"I've got very happy memories because we were in contact with the Prince of Wales every day. I found him to be a very nice, and good person who was prepared to talk to everybody and wanted to know about everything. He was a young man at the learning stage of life."

How concerned were you about his safety when he was in Aberystwyth?

John Owen Evans:"It was the same as when the Queen or any other member of the Royal Family came here. You were concerned that something could go wrong but you made 100 per cent effort to ensure that nothing happened. You had to check things out and go into detail about certain things...the route he was taking...who he would meet etc. The immediate protection of six yards or so around the prince was the responsibility of his personal detective but outside that area was the responsibility of The Chief Constable. But the pince was very helpful, he would bend over backwards to ensure that everything was to our satisfaction as well."

Were the police concerned that there might be plots to harm or even kill the prince?

John Owen Evans:"We had no information that anyone would really want to attack or kill him. However, at the end of the day you never know. It's what you don't know that causes problems. You'd be aware that somebody could throw something at him whilst he was passing. He was at Pantycelyn...some of the young students might demonstrate...when they demonstrate what do they do? They could throw an egg or anything. You were conscious of this type of thing but you'd have to get near to him to do that."

The prince came to Aberystwyth, which was then regarded as a hotbed of nationalism. For example The Free Wales Army's Julian Cayo Evans was based not far from here. Were you concerned that these groups could harm the prince?

John Owen Evans:"The Free Wales Army was no real threat to cause injury to anyone. They were involved in publicity and that type of thing. I don't think they were interested in doing any real harm to anyone. I think their policy was that they didn't want to cause any injuries to anyone...the same went for most of the other organisations. But the danger is always that an individual may decide to do something.

The prince would go to the college every morning at 10 o'clock and every morning there would be a gathering outside. The gathering would often have a lot of women with pushchairs...you were dependent on the crowd. You'd be surprised how the crowd would say to you...'there's a copuple of boys over there. There's something funny about them'...so you'd check them out.

There were three entrances into the college through which the prince could leave if there was a demonstration. On one occasion there was a demonstration against the Duchy of Cornwall and there was quite a crowd outside. The prince was offered to go out through another door and he said 'no I will go through that door because if I don't see them today they'll be there tomorrow'. He was prepared to speak to them...he wouldn't come out and go to the car."

How much of a headache was it to ensure the prince was safe. Apparently he would go off to Borth to surf. Was that a security problem?

John Owen Evans:"No. What you try to do is not publicise or draw attention to where he was going...the element of surprise...if you want to cause harm to anybody you can achieve it if you have the element of surprise. The prince would go to Borth in the morning with his detective and he would often go down to Aberporth for flying training with just one detective in the car. But my role was to co-ordinate the exercise and examine the information that came in to see if there was any threat.">

Was there any information you received that caused a serious threat to the prince's safety?

John Owen Evans:"No. There were no serious problems but there were occasions when you received information that had to be evaluated to see how genuine the information was. A lot of people would give you information about someone stating ' the prince shouldn't be here'...and you'd find out that the speaker had had a good pint in a pub before speaking."