Waxwork of Barack Obama has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds, London

A WAXWORK of Barack Obama has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds.

The model of America's next president features in a recreation of the White House's Oval Office.

Mr Obama is due to be inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday.

Among the first people to see the waxwork were students from The American International University who were been invited to see how it compares to the real thing.

The Madame Tussauds display also includes a recreation of the Resolute desk which has been used by presidents for more than 100 years.

The original is made from the timbers of an abandoned British ship, HMS Resolute, which was recovered by an American vessel and returned to the British as a token of friendship.

Queen Victoria had it made when the ship was retired from service and presented it to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.

Mr Obama will become the 18th president to occupy the Oval Office which was first occupied in 1909 by President William Howard Taft.

Since then, the distinctive room has become a symbol of the presidency itself.

It has been the background to several memorable broadcasts including Ronald Reagan's speech to the nation following the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

Madame Tussaud was taught the trade of wax modelling in France before coming to Britain in the early 19th century with a travelling exhibition including lifelike figures of politicians and criminals.

The exhibition found a permanent home in Baker Street in 1835 before moving to its present site in Marylebone Road in 1884.