THE usually serene County Durham village of Sedgefield was swarming yesterday as George Bush visited MP Tony Blair's constituency on the final day of his UK state visit.

Families turned out in force to witness one of the greatest occasions in the close-knit community's history and grab snaps to prove to future generations "we were there when the US President dropped in for fish and chips".

Protestors gathered on the village green more than five hours before the party arrived in the region to give Mr Bush a frosty reception on a chilly winter day.

Many supporters were disappointed that security measures were so strict that most could not get within 300m of the VIPs and had to settle for photographs of familiar faces among the media circus.

Property developer Paul Million, 32, from Darlington, said: "I am very disappointed that the public were kept so far back. I think there are more supporters here than protestors, but that they have a bigger voice.

"I agree with free speech but they, and the understandably tight security, spoils it for the rest of us, who just want to feel part of such a big day."

The moods on either side of High Street were poles apart.

On one side, locals beamed with pride that images of their village were being seen across the world. On the other, angry campaigners jeered at the man they feel has blood on his hands.

Sedgefield couple Nora and Tom Burney, 54 and 59, stood in the centre of the crowds using a mobile telephone to speak to friends in the US.

Mr Burney said: "My views are divided but it is interesting to hear that the American news stations are showing very little of the protests."

US couple Michael and Janice Rhodes and their nine-year-old daughter Kelsie, who are living in Durham, were proud to display a Stars and Stripes banner for the day.

Mr Rhodes said: "It is high time America showed the same courtesy to Britain it has enjoyed by visiting the country to thank it for its support."

Although many of the protestors had travelled from outside the county to demonstrate against Mr Bush and Mr Blair, some local factions did turn out.

Richard Wanless, of Sedgefield Against War, said: "People in Sedgefield are opposed to the visit. We do not want an international terrorist on our soil. He is no better than the people who blow up banks in Turkey."

Charlie Hall, an 89-year-old ex-serviceman who served with the Border Reivers in the Second World War, from Newcastle, said: "We are supposed to be fighting terrorism, but Iraq is now fighting back and we are gradually losing more British and American servicemen than we lost during the bombing."

Fleur Griffiths, 60, of Durham Women For Peace, is a lifelong anti-war campaigner.

She said: "I am upset about the cost of war in human suffering and lives and the financial cost of missiles and security.

"I feel that this visit has given us the chance to exercise our rights to say we do not agree with Mr Bush and Blair's decision to go to war and that it was not done in our name."

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Foote Wood said: "We are protesting against the US President over the detention of innocent people in Guantanamo Bay, the world's biggest polluter refusing to tackle global warming and the subsidy of American oil."

But the protestors, whose anti-Bush jeers and chants echoed around the village on loudspeakers, found themselves on the receiving end of jibes from many of Mr Bush and Mr Blair's supporters.

David McPartland, 40, a telecommunications manager, travelled from Middlesbrough to try to see the US and British leaders and applaud them.

He said: "I am happy action was taken against Saddam Hussein, and proud it was in my name.

"I think it is great to have the most powerful man on the planet in the North-East."