President George Bush repeated his vow to defeat terror today in the wake of the Istanbul bombings.

Mr Bush, speaking alongside Prime Minister Tony Blair as the two leaders visited a sports college, also disclosed he had spoken to the Turkish leader to discuss the latest outrages and offer US help in tracking down those responsible.

Mr Bush told reporters at Sedgefield Community College, in Sedgefield, County Durham: ''We have got a job to do and that's to defeat terror.''

Asked what he had told the Turkish leader, Mr Bush said: ''I told him my prayers are with his people. I told him we would work with him to defeat terror.

''Both countries are going to help. We need to share intelligence. The best way to defeat al Qaida terrorism is to share intelligence and hunt these people down.

''Great Britain has a fantastic intelligence service and we have got a good one too.''

Asked if Turkey was a new front in the war on terror, the President replied: ''Iraq's a front, Turkey is a front, anywhere the terrorists think they can strike is a front.''

Mr Bush went on: ''We will work with any country willing to fight for freedom, just like Great Britain. ''This country's fortunate to have a Prime Minister who's clear-sighted about the threat of the 21st century.''