London goes barmy for Arnie

Thousands of screaming fans turned out to greet Arnold Schwarzenegger at the UK première of Terminator 3 on Monday.

The actor was in London's Leicester Square to promote the first new Terminator movie for 12 years - and prove he could still attract the crowds.

Schwarzenegger overshadowed his T3 co-stars Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken, the first female 'Terminatrix', who was wearing an 120,000 dollar necklace.

T3: Rise of the Machines has already topped the box office chart in the US, where it has taken $127 million.

Accompanied by his wife Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger thanked fans for their support.

"It's such a great crowd here - it's terrific to see such enthusiasm," he said.

"If the fans go to see this movie it means they want more Terminator and I will be back for number four."

Schwarzenegger spent 10 minutes signing autographs and shaking hands with fans.

At times, he appeared more like a politician than a film star - but refused to confirm whether he would run for governor of California.

Many dedicated followers waited for hours along the red carpet to see the action hero, who turns 56 in nine days.

Some were not even born when the last Terminator film was released, while others wore Arnie masks.

Several thousand were packed behind barriers outside the Odeon cinema and more watched events on a big screen.

One fan, Jason Fay, 20, turned up in an Arnie mask with a folder of video covers he hoped to get signed.

"He's just a very good actor," he said. "You don't have to do Hamlet all the time to be an actor."

Another fan in the front row, Nadine Campbell, 18, said: "He's different. I've seen a lot of his films and I'm expecting a lot of action."

The budget for the third instalment topped $175 million, making it one of the most expensive independently-financed films in history.

The latest movie sees the young hero John Connor as a 20-year-old who is once again in danger of being killed.

But this time he has a wife who is also threatened by a killer cyborg, as Schwarzenegger's Terminator is sent to protect them.

The première followed a visit to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday.

Terminator 3 has revived the actor's popularity after a dip in his career, with films including The Sixth Day and Collateral Damage receiving lukewarm receptions.

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