A TRIP to Weston was just the tonic the Prime Minister needed. In the shadow of the tower blocks of a Southampton estate, Tony Blair found refuge from the Hutton Inquiry, from Geoff Hoon, from foundation hospitals and from the latest split over trust among politicians.

With Deputy PM John Prescott at his side and a fleet of minders, bodyguards and media co-ordinators, Mr Blair's six-vehicle fleet fought through Southampton's match-day traffic to pay a visit to Weston's SureStart programme.

It was a "meet and greet" moment with "real people," a quick feel-good trip on the eve of the Bournemouth party conference.

As the country's political heavyweights picked city youngsters off a playground slide, it was clear that these images were designed to kick-start the conference in the Sunday papers.

Indeed, the only two reporters allowed to follow the pair around were those from the Sunday Telegraph and the Press Association.

This was a secret visit planned with military precision.

The venue was not announced until just hours beforehand - although sharp-eyed residents knew something was up when they saw armies of police picking through the Weston undergrowth on Saturday morning.

As the PM posed with Southampton MP John Denham against a backdrop of tower blocks and docks, a dozen police officers hovered on the periphery while residents wandered over to see what the fuss was all about.

A policewoman commented on the leader's dapper grey suit with a chequered pattern, healthy glow and startlingly blue eyes, while a Weston mum said that he looked much taller in real life.

Although the trip was low-key the Prime Minister was quick to praise those involved in the scheme.

He said: "The important thing is that all over the country, thousands of SureStart centres and community centres are being opened not just for the children, but for the parents as well.

"The government is providing the means for local people to do things for themselves.

"Talking to people in Southampton today has been inspirational - to hear what local people are getting out of these programmes.

"We're putting money into these projects and it's an investment in the future of the country."

The charming Mr Blair proved a hit with Weston mums and tots.

A flushed Becky Thorne, who recently took up the post as Southampton's Labour Party secretary, said afterwards: "He was lovely. He's a family man so we knew he'd be good with the children. He was just like Joe Bloggs off the street.

"He also knew I was a member of the Labour Party and said to keep up the good work.

"I couldn't believe he knew that, and he really made me blush. It was so nice."

Mum-of-one, Ema Porter, 26, added: "He remembered my daughter's name, which was impressive.

He was very polite but I think he did not expect what he was going to see. I think he was a bit taken aback with how good it was."

Mr Blair first looked round the SureStart centre - a building where young mothers can go for advice, a break or to make use of the impressive toy library.

Then it was down the slope to the new Weston Adventure Playground, an £800,000 building and play area for five to 14-year-olds.

But it was not all children and smiles.

Anti-war protester Tony Twine found out about the walkabout 45 minutes before Mr Blair and Mr Prescott were due to turn up.

He frantically pedalled from Portswood over to Weston on his bike and was just in time to call the pair "war criminals" and "hypocrites".

Mr Twine, 48, said afterwards: "Mr Prescott stopped to talk to me and said something about my accent. He thinks I'm sounding middle class but I'm totally working class."

But at the end of the tour it was an amicable departure. The pair waved to the 30-strong gathering as they swept out of the estate in their Jaguars, chased by a gaggle of BMX-riding youngsters.

RESIDENTS in Thornhill got the surprise of their lives when they walked in to the local drop-in centre at the weekend and saw Tony Blair having a coffee with organisers.

The PM called in to see the New Deal for Communities project before heading to Weston for the photo-call.

He met the NDC Tidy Team, approved of their recently revamped vans and then had lunch in the Natterbox cafe.

Mr Blair told residents there: "It's good to see the community doing things for themselves. Estates need to turn into communities. Change needs to come from the bottom up and it's only real people that make a difference."

NDC is Southampton's largest regeneration scheme, with £48.7m to be spent in the area over a ten-year span.

Already, Thornhill has had a new skatepark built and a team of neighbourhood wardens out to help cut crime.

A drop-in health centre and breakfast clubs for schoolchildren have also been set up.