The biggest London Frost Fair every held on the frozen River Thames opened in central London.

During the first half of the 19th century the world was in the grip of a little Ice Age.

As a result the whole of northern Europe experienced noticeably colder weather, and in London the River Thames regularly froze over during the winter.

It was found the night before that the ice between Blackfriars and London Bridge was thick enough to walk on, and so in the morning thousands of people flocked to the river.

For the next week, booths and stalls sprung up to cater for their entertainment, but then suddenly the weather changed and the ice quickly thawed.

It was also the last fair on the ice, as changes to the river through London soon meant that it flowing too fast to freeze over.