Barak spends surprise night in Manchester

THE ISRAELI Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, spent an unexpected night in a hotel at Manchester airport after the jet carrying him and his party collided with a baggage truck on the tarmac at the city's airport.

Mr Barak was asleep during a one-hour refuelling stop at the airport late on Thursday night, after which he should have continued to Atlanta. The collision happened as his Israeli Air Force Boeing 707 was manoeuvring. Mr Barak, who was not injured, stayed at the Hilton with his entourage of 50. They resumed their journey yesterday on a scheduled flight.

The driver of the baggage truck, which was operated by the handling agents Servisair, was taken to hospital as a precaution but was later allowed home. The Boeing 707 was still at the airport late yesterday, awaiting an inspection.