GIANT Airbus A380 wings have begun their long journey by road and sea from Deeside to Toulouse.

A pair of wings is to be shipped from the Port of Mostyn to France where the 555-seat double decker jet will be assembled.

The first leg of the journey from the Deeside factory was by 96-wheeled multi-purpose vehicle which carried them to the River Dee. They were then loaded on to a barge for transportation to Mostyn. Meanwhile, fuselage parts also headed for Toulouse across France.

The Dee Estuary port is still seeking permission to dredge up to 400,000 cubic metres to allow unlimited access to the docks for a ship that will carry the wings to France.

The Environment Agency Wales last night said it and the other regulators were considering alternative solutions for dredging and disposal of material in the estuary.

The port's initial request to dredge was refused because of fears that the ecology of the area might be damaged.

The decision may be overruled by the Welsh Assembly if there is an overriding public interest issue.

* AIRBUS said yesterday it had delivered 67 planes in the first quarter of 2004.