King's rocking horse goes on show

The rocking horse is thought to have belonged to King Charles I

A rocking horse which is thought to have belonged to King Charles I has gone on display at a London museum.

The 17th Century horse, made from softwood and elm, is thought to be the oldest in the UK and was bought for the V&A Museum of Childhood for £25,000.

The museum, in Bethnal Green, has reopened one year after closing for a £4.7m facelift.

Features include a new entrance, a learning centre to house community art and craft workshops.

Experts believe the rocking horse may have been given to King Charles to help build up his weak legs after he suffered from rickets.

Noreen Marshall, curator at the Museum of Childhood, said it was exceptional that the rocking horse had survived all this time.

"Like so many historical toys it could so easily have been destroyed by woodworm, thrown away, or put on a bonfire," she said.

"Children's toys have not always been highly regarded as important objects and an association with Charles I could have put it at even higher risk, especially as a consequence of the Civil War."