London Dungeon stages grisly publicity stunt in Borough streets

The 'race' was held to mark the launch of the London Dungeon's new 'Surgery: Blood and Guts' experience.

The stretcher-bearers on foot beat three 21st-century rapid response units (ambulance, motorcycle and mountain bike) lent by St John Ambulance to the finishing post by 3 minutes.

Whilst the St John Ambulance team had to negotiate the Thursday morning rush-hour traffic via Newcomen Street and Borough High Street, the stretcher-bearers took a pedestrian short-cut.

"We are delighted to win a victory for history," said Nicola Ratcliffe, general manager of the London Dungeon. "Thankfully surgery has come a long way from the brutal procedures visitors will witness in our new experience, but there still seems to be a lot to be said for "ye olde ambulance service" – particularly in modern traffic!"

Martin Henderson of St John Ambulance said: "We never underestimated the competition and expected them to have some tricks up their stretcher for this exercise! Going "off road" significantly reduced their route and it is a simple fact of modern life that traffic can be a challenge for our ambulances – which is why we have a range of rapid response options."

The London Dungeon is promising visitors to its new Surgery experience that they will be transported to "a stomach-churning pre-anaesthetic and anti-antiseptic world for a gangrenous taste of some of history's most horrific surgical procedures before the days of the NHS".

Locals and tourists looking for a cheaper – and less tacky – way to learn about the history of medical surgery should head to Britain's oldest surviving operating theatre at the Old Operating Theatre, Museum & Herb Garret just round the corner in St Thomas' Street.