THIRSTY police officers on duty for George Bush's North-East visit last year were so desperate for a cuppa they boiled a tea urn dry, it has emerged.

Rooms owned by Trimdon Colliery Community Association were used as a base by Durham Constabulary during the US President's visit to Tony Blair's County Durham constituency last November.

About 1,300 officers were involved on the day of Mr Bush's visit, costing the force an estimated £1m.

The temporary police station, little more than a hut near to Mr Blair's constituency home, included a boiler usually only used to make tea for elderly members of the association's Friday luncheon club.

But the demands placed on it by hundreds of officers drafted in to protect the President proved too much.

Sergeant Mick Young, of Durham Constabulary said: "They had a very old boiler and it just didn't stand up to the 300 or so police officers we had through their community centre. It just keeled over and stopped working."

Sgt Young and PC Andy Gore, who worked closely with the association during the visit, decided the force should fork out for a replacement tea urn.

They have now presented the association with a top-of-the-range eight litre capacity boiler, costing £75, which should last for several years.

Sgt Young said: "The community association aren't exactly flush and, considering the amount of money we spent on President Bush's visit, this is a small drop in the ocean.

"For the amount of support we got, and considering the disruption we caused in the area, it's a just a small way to repay their co-operation.

"This is just to express our thanks because what they did for us on the day was above and beyond the call of duty."