Thousands of spectators have descended on the City of London for this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show.

A procession of brightly-coloured floats and performers turned the Square Mile into a riot of colour and noise for the historic event.

The three-mile parade was expected to feature over 6,500 participants, 250 horses, and more than 50 decorated floats.

The 800-year tradition kicked off with the 698th Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Bronek Masojada, climbing into a golden coach to make his way through the City to Westminster to pledge his loyalty to the crown.

The new Lord Mayor represents the Billingsgate ward, and took office this week in the Silent Ceremony.

The show takes place inside the City of London, the most historic part of the capital also known as the Square Mile.

It has its own Lord Mayor, who is separate from the Mayor of London, and who holds a ceremonial and ambassadorial role to promote the UK’s financial and professional services to the world.

On Saturday, the show started at 11am from Mansion House and proceeding through a set route around the Square Mile.

The Lord Mayor’s Show has been going for more than 800 years, tracing its origins back to the early 13th century.

It was then that King John allowed the City of London to elect its own mayor - with the proviso that each new appointee would have to travel upriver to Westminster to pledge their loyalty.

Since then, a new Lord Mayor has been elected every autumn by the City's livery companies and aldermen for a year’s term.

Female mayors are styled “Lady Mayor” and carry out the same duties.