Pope's September 2010 UK state visit cost taxpayers seven million pounds

London, Feb 17(ANI): Pope Benedict XVI's four-day state visit to the United Kingdom last September cost the taxpayer at least seven million pounds, the UK Foreign Office has disclosed.

According to the Guardian, the amount includes an 18,735 pound dinner for the papal delegation with Foreign Secretary William Hague, and 22,530 pounds on helicopter flights.

Among the costliest items on the bill were three million pounds for media facilities, and 1.67 million pounds for an open-air beatification mass in Birmingham.

The Pope's visit was the first visit to the UK by a pontiff to be designated as a state visit, as he was invited by the Queen rather than the Catholic church.

An estimated 500,000 people attended the events. (ANI)