Bush shrugs off demos, hails 'fantastic' UK trip

President George W. Bush returned Friday from a state visit to Britain insisting on the importance of the "special relationship" between the two countries despite public hostility to the US-led occupation of Iraq.

Bush was the first US president to go on a "state visit" to Britain.

But the three days of pomp and splendour was also marked by a huge demonstration against the president in London and overshadowed by bomb attacks against British targets in Turkey claimed by al-Qaeda.

Speaking to reporters as he returned to the White House late Friday, Bush said: "We have got a special relationship with Britain and that was reaffirmed in the last three days."

The president and First Lady Laura Bush were guests of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and also went to the Sedgefield constituency in northern England of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush's main ally in the Iraq war.

"Laura and I just returned from Great Britain, where we had a fantastic trip," a tired-looking Bush told reporters.

"Her majesty the queen was a great host. And of course, we just spent some time today in Tony Blair's constituency, which was not only a lot of fun, but it was a chance to continue our dialogue about how to fight and defeat terror."

More than 100,000 people staged a giant anti-Bush rally in London on Thursday. The demonstrators toppled a giant effigy of Bush in Trafalgar Square.

The US president did not carry out a traditional carriage ride with Queen Elizabeth II through central London during his visit because of security fears.

Bush wrapped up his state visit with a pub lunch with Blair and more tough talk on global terrorism. Both leaders have seen their opinion poll ratings fall because of the Iraq conflict.

"We have got a job to do and that's to defeat terror," Bush said in Sedgefield, a day after the double suicide bomb attack on British targets in Istanbul killed at least 27 and injured around 450.

"We are being challenged," he said as Blair looked on. "We are being challenged by cold-blooded killers and we will prevail."

The journey to Blair's constituency, which included a look around the Blair family's local Victorian home and fish and chips at a pub called the Dun Cow Inn.