Heather Mills "Flabbergasted"
Heather Mills The animal rights activist and former model was on her way to the US to launch her new range of meat-free ready meals when her artificial limb set off metal detectors at the security gate. Guards asked the 42-year-old ex-wife of Sir Paul McCartney to sit down in full view of other passengers and roll up her trouser leg so they could swab the prosthesis for explosive residues.
“Heather was flabbergasted,” an onlooker said. “There was a brief impasse but she said nothing, just staring in disbelief. She quietly went and sat down, shaking her head, and pulled up her trouser leg for an official to hold up her false limb and swab it.
“Heather looked furious but bit her tongue. She appeared humiliated at having her prosthetic leg highlighted in front of other passengers."
An airport spokeswoman defended the guards’ decision to swab the leg, insisting it was standard procedure that would not be waived for anyone.
“She was swabbed because something set off the alarm in the metal detector archway. Staff could not see inside the leg so it was swabbed instead. This would be the same protocol if a passenger had a cast on a broken arm or leg."
Once her leg had been thoroughly checked, Heather was allowed to proceed to the airport’s fist class Concorde Lounge, but when she got there, she was in for another embarrassment. The star’s assistant had forgotten to add Heather’s name to the lounge’s door list, so she was declined entry.
She was overheard begging the receptionist: "Please let me through. I'm having a bad day.” The man eventually relented and let Heather in.
"She was told she could use the special BA door to the Concorde Lounge. But for whatever reason the guy on the door did not have the list with her name on,” Heather’s spokesman said. “Their staff did not have the correct information. She was finally allowed to use the door to the Concorde Lounge to access another BA lounge because otherwise it would have meant a long walk around the terminal building."