AMERICAN Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was visiting East Lancashire today, prompting one of the largest security operations the area has ever seen.

Ms Rice was escorted from Liverpool her base for her three-day tour to the area by Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw.

Her first stop was at British Aerospace, Samlesbury, chosen to highlight hi-tech local industry, where she was touring the plant which is assembling the first production standard Eurofighter.

Pupils at Pleckgate High School and City Learning Centre in Blackburn were next to meet Ms Rice as she toured the school, chosen to highlight a top performing ethnically mixed school.

Some parents at the school were today threatening to withdraw their chilodren in protestat US actions in Iraq.

And a visit to a Blackburn mosque has also been scrapped.

This afternoon, Ms Rice was attending a special Chatham House lecture organised by Radio 4's Today programme,at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park ground.

Mr Straw will also speak at the event, and is expected to talk about how a strong foreign policy during the Industrial revolution enabled Blackburn to grow, and how the same can happen again.

After spending the evening in Liverpool, Ms Rice will return to Blackburn to meet civic and community leaders.

Anti-war protests at America's actions in Iraq are also planned for both later today and tomorrow.

Despite that, Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Coun Yusuf Jan-Virmani, said: "I'm looking forward to meeting and welcoming the American Secretary of State and we, as the council, will make sure that Condoleezza Rice is given the same warm welcome we give all visitors ."

Assistant Chief Constable, Mike Cunningham, said: "A considerable amount of planning has gone into this visit and the Constabulary is confident that all has been done to help make this visit a successful one."