Did you arrive at Heathrow’s Terminal 1 on Sunday?

Then chances are, you were given a proper London welcome by a group of Pearly Kings and Queens, for a traditional cockney knees-up!

The Pearlies greeted passengers with the spoons and a good ol’ rabbit.

We’re told even the terminal announcements (normally broadcast in the best Queen’s English) were read in traditional rhyming slang:

• Take care on the apples and pears
• Saucepan lids are not permitted to ride on the baggage trolleys

Mike Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Heathrow, said, “We’re trying to bring some of London’s unique characteristics to Heathrow, to entertain passengers but also to show off some of the city’s history and its culture.”

William McCarthy arriving from Auckland said, “I have never seen anything quite like this; what a welcome to the UK!”

Pearly Queen of Islington, Phyllis Broadbent said, “We’ve never been to Heathrow before, it’s rather exciting! The Pearlies are a London tradition and this is London’s airport; now people arriving from all over the world have seen us!”

Did you see them? Let us know what you think of the Pearly party!