BARACK Obama, the 44th president of the United States, touched down at Stansted Airport yesterday evening. The President and First Lady were met by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling before boarding helicopter Marine One and heading for the

BARACK Obama, the 44th president of the United States, touched down at Stansted Airport yesterday evening.

The President and First Lady were met by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling before boarding helicopter Marine One and heading for the US ambassador's residence in Regent's Park, London

The President's 76-seat plane Air Force One touched down shortly before 8pm amid a massive security operation.

The plane arrived at Stansted's Business Aviation Centre, which is on the north side of the airfield and away from the main terminal.

Airport security had been significantly beefed up for the occasion and both the CIA and Essex Police will be in attendance.

An entourage of almost 500 people, including 200 secret service officers, are accompanying the president during his eight-day five-nation tour which starts in the UK.

Security agents from the US had previously flown into the UK to fine tune the security arrangements and the president's bullet-proof Cadillac had also been flown in.

This morning (Wednesday) the President arrived at Downing Street for a meeting with Gordon Brown ahead of the G20 summit.