Movie star Sir Sean Connery is thrilled that Virgin Atlantic Airways has finally given in to his persistent pleas for flights to be provided in and out of the Bahamas.

The James Bond star fell in love with the Bahamas after filming for his 1965 movie Thunderball there, and has been living there since.

He has been campaigning for past six years to persuade Virgin Atlantic to start flying to the islands, and his efforts paid off when the first flight arrived in Nassau this week.

"It was actually, believe it or not, Sean Connery who over the last five or six years would consistently be ringing me up and sending me notes and asking, 'When are you going to come to the Bahamas?' I am delighted to have answered his call." Contactmusic quoted Virgin mogul Sir Richard Branson as saying.