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The giant balloon depicting Donald Trump as an angry baby clutching a smartphone was inflated today in front of a large crowd before being flown over central London.

Pictures showed the blimp rising high over Parliament Square, the same morning tens of thousands of people were due to descend on the capital to protest Mr Trump's visit.

Activists gathered excitedly on Friday morning as technicians in red boiler suits began pumping the balloon with helium in preparation for the showing.

Videos posted to Twitter showed the huge baby straining at its tethers, flanked by protestors wearing hi-vis jackets reading "Trump babysitter".

Donald Trump Baby Balloon at Parliament Square - In pictures 21 show all Donald Trump Baby Balloon at Parliament Square - In pictures 1/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square Reuters 2/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square AFP/Getty Images 3/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of U.S. President Donald Trump hovers next to the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill AP 4/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, behind a tour bus in Parliament Square Reuters 5/21 Onlookers look at a blimp portraying U.S. President Donald Trump in Parliament Square Reuters 6/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump in Parliament Square, London Reuters 7/21 US Marine helicopters (circled) pass the 'Baby Trump' balloon after being inflated in Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 8/21 A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire 9/21 Demonstrators take selfies in front of the huge balloon Reuters 10/21 Demonstrators stand in front of a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters 11/21 The balloon was inflated today in front of a large crowd Reuters 12/21 The 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 13/21 A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 14/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 15/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 16/21 Protesters inflate the controversial balloon in Westminster PA 17/21 The balloon forms part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 18/21 The Mayor allowed the balloon to fly high but Trump described it as an unwelcome gesture PA 19/21 Hundreds of people turned up to watch the balloon inflate Reuters 20/21 Thousands of people are expected to protest in London later today Reuters 21/21 Demonstrators prepare to inflate a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters 1/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square Reuters 2/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump above Parliament Square AFP/Getty Images 3/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of U.S. President Donald Trump hovers next to the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill AP 4/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, behind a tour bus in Parliament Square Reuters 5/21 Onlookers look at a blimp portraying U.S. President Donald Trump in Parliament Square Reuters 6/21 Demonstrators fly a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump in Parliament Square, London Reuters 7/21 US Marine helicopters (circled) pass the 'Baby Trump' balloon after being inflated in Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 8/21 A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire 9/21 Demonstrators take selfies in front of the huge balloon Reuters 10/21 Demonstrators stand in front of a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters 11/21 The balloon was inflated today in front of a large crowd Reuters 12/21 The 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 13/21 A 'Baby Trump' balloon rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 14/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 15/21 A 6m high cartoon baby blimp of US President Donald Trump is flown as a protest against his visit at Parliament Square in London AP 16/21 Protesters inflate the controversial balloon in Westminster PA 17/21 The balloon forms part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA 18/21 The Mayor allowed the balloon to fly high but Trump described it as an unwelcome gesture PA 19/21 Hundreds of people turned up to watch the balloon inflate Reuters 20/21 Thousands of people are expected to protest in London later today Reuters 21/21 Demonstrators prepare to inflate a blimp portraying US President Donald Trump, in Parliament Square Reuters

Organisers have insisted the crowdfunded blimp is merely “poking fun”, however former Ukip leader Nigel Farage has called it “the biggest insult to a sitting US president ever”.

It comes as 50,000 people were expected to join the Stop Trump march through central London, starting outside the BBC building in Portland Place before passing through Oxford Circus and ending up in a rally at Trafalgar Square.

And on Thursday a Londoner filmed himself repeatedly holding up his middle finger at Donald Trump's 22-strong motorcade as it passed through Camden.

Mr Trump complained in an interview that day that he feels "unwelcome" in the capital after Mayor Sadiq Khan and City Hall both refused to block plans to fly the 20ft inflatable.

The president said: “I guess when they put out blimps to make me feel unwelcome, no reason for me to go to London.

“I used to love London as a city. I haven’t been there in a long time. But when they make you feel unwelcome, why would I stay there?

"And when I say that I am talking about government because the people of the UK agree with me.”

The Mayor's office said the balloon was recognised as a legitimate form of demonstration.

Last night, Donald Trump was booed and jeered as he was helicoptered out of Regent's Park to attend a black-tie dinner with Theresa May at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

He returned by chopper afterwards to the US ambassador's official residence at Winfield House, where he stayed overnight.

However on Friday morning he was due to leave the capital again, travelling with Theresa May to Sandhurst for a demonstration of the UK's military power