TWO celebrities surprised a Prudhoe holidaymaker travelling to Zante by checking him in at Newcastle Airport.

Presenters Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly surprised holidaymakers travelling to Zante on July 4.

Ant and Dec took on new roles as 'Happiness Ambassadors' for TUI earlier this month and surprised travellers at the airport as part of this.

Josh Bond, 18, is from Prudhoe and was jetting off on his first lads' holiday when he and his group of friends were checked into the airport by the presenters.

"Me and my friend Louie arrived later than the rest of our friends and they were in a separate TUI queue to all the other check-ins, they had a separate queue maid.

"We were told we had to go into a separate queue and when we asked why, we were told 'two famous people from Newcastle want to check you in'." 

Josh, who is currently doing work experience at Newcastle Civic Centre, said: "I thought it would be Jimmy Nail and Gazza, and out of nowhere, Ant and Dec come stumbling along. Everybody was ecstatic, they were just buzzing to see them. They are local heroes," Josh said.

The pair checked passports and put tags on bags.

Josh said Ant and Dec's whole interaction with the group was filmed and they also received gifts from the pair.

"They gave us free Greggs, I got some pineapple sunglasses which I'm quite happy about and a free inflatable. They're just the most relatable people I've ever met, they're just lovely people."

Josh said the experience of Ant and Dec checking him and his friends in for their first holiday together was 'quite a special moment'.

Speaking about his holiday, Josh said: "I loved it, I had the best time of my life. Lots of memories were made."

Josh explained other 'model groups' were also interviewed, including those on a girls' holiday, a mother and a son and a full family.

"They asked what we were getting up to on holiday and told us what we should and shouldn't do.

"They can laugh at themselves, they almost switch off from being celebrities. They made it personal as well, it wasn't scripted. We had a really good laugh with them," he said. "I want to thank them for making the start of my holiday a better experience."