Portsmouth's HMS Severn given a wet welcome to mark London Fire Brigade's 150th anniversary

Fire Dart firing its hoses in front of HMS Severn as she approaches London

PORTSMOUTH'S HMS Severn was given a wet welcome by London Fire Brigade's '˜floating fire engine' as she arrived in the nation's capital.

The patrol ship was greeted by the emergency service’s Fire Dart which sprayed jets of water ahead of her as she made her way up the Thames to the West India Dock in Canary Wharf.

It was all to celebrate the city fire brigade’s 150th anniversary.

The force owes a good deal of its early existence to the Senior Service.

HMS Severn passing through the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge towards London

Back in 1866 when the then Metropolitan Fire Brigade was founded, its first chief officer Eyre Massey-Shaw favoured recruiting former sailors to his fledgling force as they possessed similar skills to firefighters, from handling ropes and working long hours of duty in isolation to tackling heights.

Yesterday evening saw Severn holding a capability demonstration for invited guests, including the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Ron Dobson.

Two buglers from The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Collingwood, performed at a ceremonial sunset.

The ship is in the city until tomorrow afternoon.