Bush arrives in North East on Airforce One

US President George Bush touched down at Teesside Airport today for his final day in Britain.

From the airport – where he touched down at 11.32am – Mr Bush and wife Laura were making a short helicopter trip on a Marine One helicopter to the Sedgefield constituency of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 10 miles north of the airport.

The visit of Airforce One to Teesside heralds the start of what police said was their biggest ever security operation, costing £1m (€1.4m).

The US leader was expected to spend several hours with Mr Blair in Co Durham which will include a pub lunch.