PUPILS from a Spennymoor special school will be maintaining a transAtlantic link with US president George Bush long after meeting him during his visit to the North-East last week.

Six children from The Meadows at Spennymoor, will be following up an extraordinary opportunity to talk to Mr Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair last Friday by sending news of their school to the White House.

The group chatted to the world's two most powerful men, as they arrived for lunch at the Dun Cow in Sedgefield.

The youngsters had been taken to witness the visit and the accompanying anti-war protest as part of their citizenship lessons with learning support assistants Jenny Newlove and Diane Richardson.

Unlike the crowds of sightseers, protesters, reporters and cameramen kept hundreds of yards away behind security barriers, the youngsters had a prime vantage point outside the home of the school's deputy head Sue Cook.

Even so, they were amazed when Mr Blair beckoned them over for a chat, especially as they had sniper rifles trained on them the whole time by vigilant security men.

Stuart Percival, aged 12, of Bishop Auckland, John Bagnall, 15, of Stanley, Derwentside, Jade McKinnell, 11, of Crook, Gemma Mullen, 15, of Willington, Kirsty Ingold, 15, of Bishop Auckland, and Peter Weir, 15, of Durham, welcomed Mr Bush and his wife Laura to England.

Stuart grasped the opportunity to press Mr Blair on the two issues most reporters would love to ask - his recent heart scare and the reasons behind the Iraq war.

He said: "They said it was a long story and we would be here all night if we talked about Iraq.

"I never thought I would meet the president of America and the Prime Minister in the same day."

The group is determined to tell Mr Bush about their school and are putting together a special book chronicling their activities.

As soon as they were back in class on Monday they sent e-mails to Downing Street and the White House.

Jenny Newlove said: "It was fantastic. We couldn't have planned a better citizenship lesson."