BRITISH Airways' controversial new £60 million image unveiled today amid a barrage of protest is the work of a former Bolton student.

Chris Holt, aged 48, is a former pupil of Bury's Derby School who also studied at Bolton College of Art and Design before starting his career in London.

Today Chris, now head of design management at British Airways, flew back to his roots to launch one of the first of the company's new-look jets at Manchester Airport.

At the same time, deputy prime minister John Prescott was among those who gathered at Heathrow to see Concorde in its new paintwork.

Changing the livery on the airline's 300 aircraft plus ground vehicles, uniforms and everything which bears the British Airways name is expected to cost around £60 million over three years.

Artists from around the world have been commissioned to come up with global images which will be featured on aeroplanes, including a painting of a Poole pottery dish unveiled at Manchester Airport today, calligraphy from China, a picture of wood carving from North America and murals from tribes people in South Africa.

But the image change has been slammed by unions representing British Airways staff, who claim it is an extravagance at a time when both cabin crew and ground service employees are taking part in strike ballots. The company claims that the £60 million is only what it would have spent anyway if it had kept the old livery and says it is saving money by repainting aircraft only when it becomes part of their normal maintenance schedules.

"Over 60pc of our customers come from outside the UK so to embrace our message of being truly global and caring airline we had to be more outward looking," said Bury-born Chris. "I firmly believe the new livery reflects that and boldly takes us forward towards the new millennium."

British Airways denies it is being unpatriotic by ditching the aircraft's existing distinctive red white and blue tails.

Lighter red, white and blue colours will be used in the new design.

"We are blending the best of traditional British values with the best of today's Britain," said BA chief executive Bob Ayling,

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