Massive crowd for Lord Mayor's Show

New Lord Mayor Alderman Gavyn Arthur

An estimated 500,000 onlookers turned out on the streets of the City of London for "the greatest free show on earth".

The 2002 Lord Mayor's Show, which was held on Saturday, saw thousands more take to the roads around the City in costume and on floats.

Almost 800 years old, this colourful annual spectacle has been lauded as the most successful yet.

It marks the taking up of office by Alderman Gavyn Arthur, a 51-year-old barrister and now the 675th Lord Mayor of the City of London.

Around 60 floats took part in the procession

The Lord Mayor's theme for the show was 'Working With People', and communities across the capital were represented in the procession.

The day also saw one of the year's largest military parades with 2,000 servicemen and women taking to the streets.

Nearly 200 horses and 60 floats also lined up alongside a host of military vehicles as they travelled along the three-mile route.

The procession weaved its way from Guildhall, in the heart of the City, through the historic streets of the Square Mile, passing St Paul's Cathedral then onto the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand.

Later in the day, there was due to be a firework display from a barge on the Thames between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges.

All money raised from the event will go to Save the Children.