US President George Bush may often seem to find the English language a puzzle, but he loves piecing together the jigsaws of a North-East artist, it has been revealed.

Mr Bush is so fond of the jigsaws of Howard Robinson, the President's wife commissioned the County Durham designer to create a one-off puzzle she could give him as a 60th birthday present.

Mr Robinson, from Wheatley Hill, designed a 500-piece jigsaw depicting the President's pet dogs, Barney and Miss Beazley, sitting on the White House lawn.

He said: "It was a bit of a surprise to be asked. It is not something that happens every day. I was really thrilled.

"I produce so many illustrations and it is always nice to hear about where they turn up.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the President of the US would be sitting in Camp David doing one of my puzzles."

The President's wife, Laura Bush, wrote to Mr Robinson saying how much the whole family enjoyed the jigsaw.

Mr Robinson said: "I think he liked it as I received a lovely letter from Mrs Bush. It is lovely to have the letter and very nice of them to acknowledge my work.

Mr Robinson has been designing puzzles since 1980. He completed his Presidential project in seven days last August.

The dogs have themselves become celebrities. In 2005, the Scotties appeared in a comedy Christmas film on the White House website.

Mr Bush is now being asked to return Mr Robinson's favour, by backing his entry in the puzzle of the year competition.

The designer's At the Waterhole jigsaw has been nominated for the 2007 Ravensburger prize, and the competition organisers have written to the President encouraging him to cast a vote.

A Ravensburger spokesman said: "We have been reliably informed that there is a plentiful supply of puzzles at Camp David."

Mr Robinson will learn in August if he has won.