In pictures: Rice visits Blackburn

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's Blackburn constituency on Friday.

Her presence in the Lancashire town was not popular with everyone - anti-war protesters, including children, gathered outside Pleckgate High School, one of the places she visited.

Ms Rice said she was used to protests and had encountered many before, all over the world. "People have the right to protest. That's what democracy is all about," she said.

Demonstrators shouted "Condoleezza Rice go home" as Ms Rice entered the school through a side entrance, but she received a warmer welcome inside the school grounds.

Ms Rice and Mr Straw met children and teachers at the school, which has about 1,200 pupils.

The Foreign Secretary also took his US counterpart to the premises of defence group BAE Systems in nearby Salmesbury.

At Ewood Park, home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club, Ms Rice was presented with a shirt bearing her name by the Premiership team's manager Mark Hughes.

Ms Rice also chatted to her compatriot, Blackburn's American international goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

When Mr Straw visited Ms Rice's home city she took him to an American football match. He seemed to enjoy showing Ms Rice round the home of his favourite football team.

Ms Rice delivered a lecture on liberal democracy in which she thanked "the citizens and the government of Great Britain for the willingness to share in the sacrifices for freedom".

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