The UK and the US will begin work immediately on a new negotiating pact to pave the way for a full trade deal to come into force after Brexit.

The announcement, which will raise eyebrows in Brussels, follows Theresa May’s visit to the White House in which she and Donald Trump agreed to deepen relations.

Giving new details about the visit, Downing Street said the story behind pictures of the pair arm-in-arm is that Mr Trump offered his hand to Ms May in a “chivalrous gesture” to help her down a ramp.

It also emerged Mr Trump said he wanted Ms May to be the first person he sees when he arrives on a state visit to see the Queen, and that he told an official to store away the White House menu card for their lunch together as a memento of their meeting.

At the lunch, the pair agreed the first step towards cementing a post-Brexit relationship would be a new trade negotiation agreement with high-level talks about it beginning immediately.

Ms May said: “This is the first step leading to a future trade deal with the US which could provide huge benefits to our economic muscle and will give businesses additional certainty and confidence.”

The pair agreed their governments would establish UK/US working groups to start scoping out what could be achieved before Brexit.

Early moves could involve removing mobile phone roaming charges, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, removing red tape and removal of non-tariff barriers blocking UK exports of certain agriculture and food products.

They hope it will mean a new trade agreement is ready as soon as possible after the UK has formally left the EU.

Mr Trump pledged to ensure trade arrangements that the UK currently has with the US through its EU membership would continue in place at the moment of Brexit, in a bid to provide certainty to businesses in both the UK and the US.

Images of the pair walking hand-in-hand spread across the globe as the two leaders sought to convince the world that relations between them and their nations were stronger than ever.

The meeting allowed Mr Trump to show he is not a pariah on the world stage, while the promise of a US trade deal gives Ms May leverage in Brexit talks with EU leaders, expected to take place later this year.

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But with pictures of the awkward moment splashed across the front pages of newspapers, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “If you watch the video, they’re walking along and there is an unseen ramp.

“He offered his hand, which she took as they stepped down the ramp.”

She agreed that it was a “chivalrous gesture”, putting to bed rumours that Mr Trump had needed help down the ramp.

One outlandish claim doing the rounds was that the President is scared of stairs.

The spokeswoman also revealed the President collects menus, explaining: “At the end of the lunch, he said that he always kept menu cards to remember significant moments.

“He gave the menu card to one of his members of staff and said ‘keep that safe, I had lunch with the British Prime Minister.’”

Mr Trump was then said to have repeated “several times” that it was really important to see Ms May first when he comes to the UK for the state visit.

In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Show all 32 1 /32 In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London An image of President Donald Trump is seen on a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A view of the skywriting word reading 'Trump' as thousands rally in support of equal rights in Sydney, New South Wales EPA In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Rome People shout and hold signs during a rally against US newly sworn-in President Donald Trump in Rome Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A protester holds a placard during the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Marseille A placard ready 'Pussy grabs back' is attached to the handle bar of a bike during a 'Women's March' organized by Feminist and human rights groups in solidarity with women marching in Washington and around the world for their rights and against the reactionary politics of the newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump, at the Old Port (Vieux Port) of Marseille, southern France Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A young Thai girl holds a "women's rights are human rights" sign at Roadhouse BBQ restaurant where many of the Bangkok Womens March participants gathered in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok A Thai woman takes a photo of a "hate is not great" sign at the women's solidarity gathering in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Bangkok American expats and travellers gather with the international community in Bangkok at the Roadhouse BBQ restaurant to stand in solidarity in Bangkok, Thailand Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protetesters gather outside The US 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rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Kolkata Activists participate in the Women's March rally in Kolkata, India AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A Women's March placards are rested on a bench outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London A women carries her placard ahead of the Women's March in London, England Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila Women protesters shout slogans while displaying placards during a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Berlin Protesters attend a 'Berlin Women's March on Washington' demonstration in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Protesters take part in the Melbourne rally to protest against the Trump Inauguration in Melbourne, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters take part in the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Melbourne Womens march on Melbourne protestors marching during a rally where rights groups marched in solidarity with Americans to speak out against misogyny, bigotry and hatred Rex In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Macau Protesters hold placards as they take part at the Women's March rally in Macau, Macau. The Women's March originated in Washington DC but soon spread to be a global march calling on all concerned citizens to stand up for equality, diversity and inclusion and for women's rights to be recognised around the world as human rights Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Manila A mother carries her son as they join a rally in solidarity against the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States in suburban Quezon city northeast of Manila, Philippines AP In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney An infant is held up at a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman attends a demonstration against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydney A woman expresses her Anti-Trump views in Sydney, Australia Getty Images In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump Sydeney Protesters demonstrate against new U.S. President Donald Trump in Sydney, Australia. The marches in Australia were organised to show solidarity with those marching on Washington DC and around the world in defense of women's rights and human rights Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters march from The US Embassy in Grosvenor Square towards Trafalgar Square during the Women's March in London, England Getty In pictures: Women of the world march against Trump London Protesters carrying banners take part in the Women's March on London, as they stand in Trafalgar Square, in central London Reuters

The spokeswoman went on: “They [May and Trump] referred to the time that Thatcher took over Britain and the large challenges that she faced, and agreed that they had a shared admiration for her.

“Trump went on to say that he always looked up to Reagan and said that he wanted their relationship to be even better than that one.”