JOHN Prescott, the punching politician, went to ground somewhere in the North-East yesterday with the nation's media kept well out of harm's way.

Two days after he infamously threw a left jab at an egg-hurling protestor, the Deputy Prime Minister was due to make a series of visits in the region, but Labour officials were unwilling to divulge where or when they were.

His first appearance yesterday was at the Amec shipyard in Wallsend, to speak to workers who recently secured a massive new contract to build offshore platforms. Even though journalists had been issued with safety helmets, safety glasses and safety boots, all but one photographer and camera crew were suddenly denied access to the complex.

As they waited outside the gatehouse, the Prescott Express battlebus swept past them - with the Lighthouse Family anthem, Lifted, blaring out.

A statement was read on Mr Prescott's behalf. "I'm continuing my campaign here in the North-East to see for myself the new light being breathed back into shipping," it said.

"I'm proud of Labour's record that one million tonnes of shipping has returned to the UK flag since 1997.

"I'm delighted to be visiting Amec, the yard which recently secured a major contract from Nigeria in which I played some part. This will bring thousands of new jobs to this area and will be a big boost to the North-East ship building industry."

As the Prescott Express came out of the shipyard, former heavyweight boxing champion John L Gardner appeared to challenge Mr Prescott to a charity boxing bout.

Mr Gardner, 48, who was at his peak between 1979 and 1981, said: "It was quite a good jab for a man who hasn't thrown a punch for a long time. It was definitely instinctive.

"The only advice I would have for him would be to keep his right hand up when he throws a left jab."

Mr Prescott, sitting at the front of the bus, looked on in a bemused silence as Mr Gardner raised a fist in challenge, and then the Express drove off to its undisclosed destinations.

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