THE state visit of US President George W Bush to Britain this week has dominated the national headlines and led to anti-war protests in cities throughout the country.

Chester campaigners staged their demonstration in the Town Hall Square on Wednesday - reporter ROISIN GAD EL RAB provides this first-hand account of what happened.

Cheered on by protesters, a man beats the fallen statue of a state premier with his shoe.

A familiar image maybe, but this was not Baghdad, the statue was not of Saddam Hussein and the man was in grave danger of standing in a puddle.

This was a drizzly Wednesday evening in November outside Chester's Town Hall, the 'toppled' leader George W Bush.

Such was the strength of feeling of the hard-core demonstrators gathered beneath the Christmas lights, they accepted the miserable weather and the lack of microphones, choosing to stand in solidarity despite being unable to hear many of the speakers.

From 5pm, the 70-something crowd heard - or not - a series of indictments of Bush's policies, as speakers took to the floor under the watchful eye of a 9ft papier maché statue of the US president, made by Handbridge artist Sally Starborg.

She was present to see her hours of hard work demolished in a dramatic protest.

She said: 'I was outraged that there would be a state visit and delighted to be able to put my talents to use for this cause. I think sometimes something visual can have an impact symbolically. A picture can be worth 1,000 words.

'A TS Eliot quote was going through my head when I was making it - 'we are the hollow men, we are the stuffed men leaning together'.'

The US president's visit to the UK has been vociferously opposed by groups blaming him for more than just the war in Iraq.

Members of Chester Stop the War Coalition (STWC) joined representatives from the Jubilee Debt Campaign, the World Development Forum, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the Catholic Church, quakers and a contingent from Chester Cathedral at Wednesday's demonstration.

Richard Atkinson, of Chester SWC, said: 'Bush's visit is an attempt to win back votes and salvage his own career.'

Just after 6pm, the speeches ended and the mighty figure was toppled - to the sound of drums, gongs, rattles and cheering.

It didn't take long before someone rushed forward to beat it with his shoe. Within a short time, Dubya was torn apart.

Sally, who had inscribed 'sculptress is for peace' on the back of the figure, described it as 'a tremendous moment'.

Graeme Baldry runs Rainforest on Watergate Row. His shop sold out of coach tickets to yesterday's march through London, which organisers predicted would attract 100,000 angry protesters.

He said: 'I'm just pleased with the response from Chester. The statue's fantastic, the turnout is great - even the police have come out in numbers! They are welcome, as long as they join in.'

Duty inspector Dave Jones explained why there was a need for nine officers to attend.

He said: 'We are here to monitor public safety and ensure the safety of the protesters.'

The only potential for a public disturbance came when seven young men, stripped to their boxers and wearing ties, came bursting out of a pub and into McDonald's, only to emerge a little later with a bunch of balloons. They managed to drown out the speaker for a matter of seconds while officers looked on, assured this was not a time for their services.

Standing on the town hall steps, a group of Helsby High sixth formers held banners. Ruth Knight, 18, of Chester, said: 'I felt it was important to come today because this is what I believe in.'

The demonstration attracted a mixed reaction - some were prepared to voice their support for Bush to anyone who would listen.

Kat Cross, 18, from Neston, was shopping when her attention was attracted by the crowd.

Breaking from debating with a socialist worker seller, she said: 'I am anti-anti-war protestors, specifically because they are going against Bush when he has come here to discuss important things. They are protesting against everything - people banging drums - it's hardly civil. '

Chris Howe, 19, also from Neston, agreed. He said: 'There are young people here that are here just to protest against something.'

The demonstration ended peacefully - for all except the mangled figure of Bush - and the drenched demonstrators trudged off.