HE might view pretzels with suspicion after choking on one and fainting briefly in the White House last year, but if he gets a little hungry during his British visit next week, US president George W Bush should be able to turn to his own supply of the salty snacks.

Union Snacks, based at Tanfield Lea, in County Durham, set up Britain's first pretzel production line in 1996 and now turns out more than 2,000 tonnes of them.

It has hit on a great way of publicising its product by sending some samples to Tony Blair's Sedgefield home for the president to chew on when he comes to stay with the Blairs in the North-East.

The company supplies British Airways and says its pretzels are a favourite with transatlantic travellers from across the big pond.

"They tend to buy a lot of them when they come over here," said a company spokeswoman.

"We also export them to Japan."

The company, whose managing director John Pike used to work for the famous Consett snack manufacturer Phileas Fogg, started with six employees but is taking on 30 staff to boost the workforce to a new high of 90.