A fish and chip restaurant owner said it was “surreal” to serve former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton but added it was a real pleasure to have her as a guest.

The former first lady was in South Shields, South Tyneside, speaking as a guest of ex-Labour MP David Miliband, who organises an annual lecture in what was his constituency.

After the engagement on Friday, Mr Miliband took Mrs Clinton to Colman’s award-winning chippie, which is a North East institution.

The former Democratic presidential nominee dined on crab salad to start, then traditional cod and chips with extra tartare sauce for main.

Co-owner Richard Ord junior said: “She was so amazing with everyone she came across.

“It was surreal when she first came in but once you got talking to her she was so down to earth.

“She was easy to talk to and get along with and it was a real pleasure.”

Mrs Clinton posed for photos with Mr Ord’s father, Richard senior.

Mr Miliband has previously brought his old boss Tony Blair along to Colman’s.

And the restaurant has fed local stars Sting, Sam Fender and Little Mix in the past.

Mrs Clinton has ancestral links to the North East of England, as her great-grandfather was a County Durham coal miner.