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THERESA May yesterday met controversial Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a one-day visit to Ankara.

The two leaders announced a 100 million-plus defence collaboration deal on the continued development of fighter jets for Turkey.

She was the first Western leader to meet Erdogan, who has been criticised for the government's human rights record, since last year's attempted coup. The meeting follows her visit to Donald Trump in Washington.

May told the Turkish president that Britain stood with Erdogan and his defence of Turkey's democracy, but warned him it was "important" to uphold human rights.

Speaking to Erdogan as they addressed the press at his presidential palace, the Prime Minister said: "Turkey is one of the UK's oldest friends, our relations stretch back over 400 years but there is much that we can do in the future to build on that relationship together.

"I'm proud the UK stood with you on July 15 last year in defence of your democracy. Now it's important that Turkey sustains that democracy by maintaining the rule of law and upholding its international human rights obligations, as the government has undertaken to do."

May had come under pressure to raise human rights issues with the Turkish president, who has imposed a state of emergency involving waves of arrests, the closure of numerous media outlets and the removal of thousands of public officials - including judges, academics and teachers - from their jobs.

Speaking before the PM's arrival in Turkey, Amnesty International's UK director Kate Allen said the visit was a "vital opportunity" for May to ask "probing questions" about allegations of excessive use of force and ill-treatment of detainees by Erdogan's security forces.

The human rights situation in Turkey had "deteriorated markedly" during the state of emergency imposed after last July's botched coup, said Amnesty.

May and Erdogan also discussed counter-terrorism, security, trade and migration in talks which stretched for an hour longer than scheduled.

During the visit, the UK-based BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace Industries signed a Heads of Agreement document establishing a partnership for the continued development of the Turkish Fighter Programme (TF-X).

British officials said the contract would safeguard high-skill jobs at BAE Systems and could lead to opportunities worth billions of pounds over the lifetime of the project, with potential future contracts to provide engines, weapons, radars and sensors.

It was hoped the deal would pave the way for a deeper defence partnership, effectively making the UK Turkey's partner of choice for key aerospace technology.

May, who has made preparations for closer post-Brexit trading links her top priority for the Turkey trip, said: "This agreement underlines once again that Britain is a great, global, trading nation and that we are open for business.

"It marks the start of a new and deeper trading relationship with Turkey and will potentially secure British and Turkish jobs and prosperity for decades to come."

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After Trump ... May meets Erdogan and signs defence deal - Herald Scotland