US president Barack Obama had to abandon his armoured limousine, nicknamed The Beast, after it became stuck leaving the US embassy in Dublin.

A bang was heard as the car hit a ramp at the embassy, before a bus was parked in front to block the view.

President Obama was on his way to his ancestral County Offaly home on the first day of his European tour.

The Cadillac, specially built for Mr Obama by General Motors, has reinforced tyres and its own oxygen supply.

The incident happened in front of waving crowds in Ballsbridge, and the president left the building from a different entrance.

A witness said that as it drove out, the car appeared to get its low underbelly caught on a piece of metal sticking up that a gate might lock into.

The US president and first lady Michelle Obama stayed in the car while police officers rushed over to the stricken vehicle.

The pair switched to another vehicle to drive to the Marine One helicopter that was to carry them to the next stage of their visit.

There was much interest in the armoured car on Mr Obama's visit to the UK in 2009.

Footage of The Beast struggling to execute a three-point turn in Downing Street was a viral hit.

On Tuesday, Mr Obama flies to London for a three-day state visit to the UK, where he and Michelle will stay at Buckingham Palace as guests of the Queen.

Later in the tour, but without his wife, Mr Obama visits France and Poland.

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