A BUSINESSMAN is back following a daring mission to export olive oil from Palestine to Chester.

And Rod Cox, 57, is already plotting a return trip after successfully driving one tonne of oil overland from Jenin.

He was joined by three fellow Brits in a Ford Transit minibus and is now hoping to repeat his feat - this time with an articulated lorry carrying 44 tonnes of oil.

The oil is now on sale at Alexander's Jazz Theatre, where Mr Cox, the businessman behind Chester's Rufus Court development, is a partner.

He wants to establish a recognised overland trade route from Palestine via the Allenby Bridge.

The oil is usually brought to Britain by fair trade company Zaytoun but Mr Cox says trade is often hindered by the Israelis.

Mr Cox had also inspired a friendship pact between Chester and the Palestinian city of Jericho.

Chester city councillor David Hull travelled to the region to sign the agreement, and met Mr Cox's party en route.

The group were grilled by Israeli Secret Service officials for six hours on the border crossing with Jordan.

Mr Cox said: 'We're really pleased we succeeded in buying the olive oil and getting all the way back.

'We appeared on Bethlehem TV and explained what we were doing.

'Then, two days later when we got to the border, the Israelis pushed us to the front of the queue.

'When we told them about the oil they just told us to go through.

'You wonder whether they would have reacted differently had they not known beforehand about what we were doing.'

Mr Cox hailed the trip as a 'necessary first step'.

'Whether we have done enough remains to be seen,' he said. 'Nobody would have risked

taking a lorry before but now we have made this more manageable trip we can think about it.'

Mr Cox said his next expedition was likely to take place in around six months time.