While Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton are busy preparing for their big day, a pack of dogs are also in training for the royal wedding to sniff out any trouble.

Police dogs have an important part to play in the nuptials of the happy couple – sniffing out any explosives planted along the ceremonial route.

In the days leading up to the event, dogs – including springer spaniels – will be ensuring it all passes off without incident.

The specially-trained members of the Metropolitan Police dog unit will carry out thorough and repeated searches of the area between Westminster Abbey, where the couple will wed, and Buckingham Palace, where the afternoon reception and evening celebrations will be held. The dogs were put through their paces recently at a chapel in Kent, where they practised the systematic search of an enclosed area.

Trained to pay particular attention to street furniture, they will be on the ball and alert to any security threats when it comes to doing the job for real later this month.

And if they happen upon anything suspect, contingency plans are in place. “If they find an explosive, we cordon off the area and call in the bomb squad,” a Met spokeswoman said.