THE Essex weather forced a last-minute change of plan as President Barack Obama left Britain for the next leg of his world tour.

Graham Dines

THE Essex weather forced a last-minute change of plan as President Barack Obama left Britain for the next leg of his world tour.

Visibility was down to less than 100 yards, forcing security experts to veto plans to fly the President and Mrs Obama by helicopter from the Regent's Park home of the United States ambassador to Stansted airport.

Instead, he was driven there in the bullet proof presidential limousine, and the 10 vehicle convoy swept through north London and up the M11 to Stansted.

Intense security meant that Air Force One was parked on the far side of the airport, which meant that departing passengers in commercial flights had no chance to see President and Mrs Obama.

The airport was closed and in-bound flights delayed until Air Force One took of, heading for Strasbourg and the NATO summit.