City freemen hold London Bridge sheep drive
Freemen of the City of London exercised their ancient right to drive flocks of sheep across London Bridge on Sunday.
The event – now in its second year – was organised by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen to raise funds for the Woolmen's Charitable Trust and the Lord Mayor's Appeal.
City freemen each paid £50 for the opportunity to help drive a flock of sheep part of the way across the bridge.
The welfare of the sheep was closely monitored by an RSPCA inspector.
The sheep drive was preceded by a ceremony at the southern end of the bridge when the Master Woolman and the Sheriff of London Fiona Adler were formally greeted and presented with a Southwark ale conning pot by the officers and foreman of the Guildable Manor of Southwark.
TV presenter Paul O'Grady – a supporter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) – last week wrote to the Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf urging her to halt the event.
"Herding sheep down a very busy London street while cars continue to speed along the road next to them shows a disregard for their welfare and needlessly causes them distress," he wrote.
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