American tourist Victoria Clark's plan to spend three months in the UK ended up as just seven hours in London's Heathrow Airport terminal four.

After a 12-hour flight from Houston, Texas, bound for a stay with a friend in Keighley, she was immediately sent back home after a grilling from immigration officers.

And the reason? She had only £30 in her pocket.

Despite possessing an international bank card and money in the bank, the immigration service ruled she lacked enough funds to support herself in the UK.

And they were concerned she was to stay in a public house and not spend enough cash on the tourist trail.

So after just seven hours in the country, they put her back on a flight to Dallas.

It left her friend Paul Preston bemused and upset at his home in the Kings Head, South Street, Keighley.

In Keighley, Miss Clark was to stay with 28-year-old Mr Preston and his parents.

Mr Preston, who met Victoria on the Internet, said: "She was to stay here for a long holiday and we were to support her.

"We had a room ready and everything. I was looking forward to showing her the sights, especially the historical features of the area.

"This was to be her first visit to the UK -- it was even her first time out of her own country."

Mr Preston was contacted by the immigration service on the day she landed and answered a series of questions about Miss Clark, including how long he had known her and how they had met." Later the same day he was informed they had decided not to let her stay.

"I feel angry that Victoria had to spend seven hours in a holding room. She had to face all those questions and then she was sent back," he said.

Miss Clark, who had a return flight booked and had paid for the rail trip to Keighley, said she felt she was treated like a criminal. "They said they feared I would be an over-stayer," she said

An immigration service spokeswoman said she could not discuss individual cases.