THE former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton caused a stir when she popped into a North East chippy for a bite to eat last night (June 4). 

The one time presidential hopeful's foray into Colmans Fish and Chips, in South Shields, comes days after film star Johnny Depp caused a similar fuss when he visited a Newcastle pub for pint and chips. 

Mrs Clinton was joined at the chippy by the UK's former Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who had invited her deliver the South Shields Lecture 2022 on Friday.

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And the moment was captured in a selfie by BBC Look North Presenter Jeff Brown.  

Jeff said: "We've been to quite a few of the lectures because we living South Tyneside.

"Bumping into Hillary in Colmans was a bit of a coincidence. We weren't expecting her to do a tour.

"But she came round all the tables and there just happened to be a spare seat behind me - so it was perfect framing really."

He added: "The lecture she delivered is sponsored by Colmans Fish and Chips. So it's tradition that whoever is the guest speaker goes along to Coleman's afterwards for a fish and chips.

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"Over the last few years they've had the likes of Sting, Alan Bennett, Danny Boyle and  Gary Lineker go there. The family who run Colmans are friends of ours so we get invited along.

"The walls of the chip shop are covered with pictures of famous faces."

Jeff said, Hillary had fish and chips and she was "particularly impressed by the tartar sauce".

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He said: "She did admit that she thought that fish and chips meant fish with crisps. Obviously in America chips have a different name, so she was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be fries

"Although we did try and explain that fries were skinny things you get at McDonald's."

"She was lovely. She was very warm and very welcoming and gave a great lecture and had time for everybody."

Jeff added, when word quickly got out that Mrs Clinton was in Colmans, resulting in "quite a crowd" outside trying to get a picture of her.

Mrs Clinton, said earlier: "I know how proud David is of South Shields, so I was delighted to accept his invitation to deliver the 2022 South Shields Lecture.

"My Great Grandfather lived just down the road from South Shields in Durham, so in some ways I feel I will be coming home."

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