Queen cancels Arsenal stadium visit

LONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) The Queen cancelled plans to open Arsenal Football Club's new stadium today because of a strained back muscle.

But a spokeswoman at Buckingham Palace said: ''There is no cause for concern'' for the monarch who has just returned from a three-country trip to the Baltic states.

The 80-year-old monarch was advised by doctors to reduce her workload for the day but she is still going ahead with an audiences with ambassadors at her London residence.

The Queen had been scheduled to meet Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and captain Thierry Henry on a tour of the new Emirates stadium in north London.

Prince Philip later officially opened the 390 million pound, 60,432-capacity stadium, where he was introduced to the Arsenal squad of players by Henry.

Buckingham Palace said the queen had sustained the back injury while staying at her Balmoral country residence.

''It has not improved during a busy two weeks of engagements,'' the spokeswoman added.

''Doctors advised Her Majesty to reduce her workload today and will review her progress on a daily basis,'' she added.

Arsenal began playing at their new stadium in July with an opening match against Ajax Amsterdam after leaving their former home at Highbury at the end of last season.

They had moved to Highbury in 1913 after beginning life in south London.

The club was formed by workers at the Royal Arsenal in 1886 and after initially using the name Dial Square, taken from one of the workshops there, were then known as Royal Arsenal from 1886 to 1891.

REUTERS PB KP2103