Gold presenter Dean Martin has been presented the Freedom of the City of London at the Guildhall London.
The honour entitles Dean to a number of ancient quirky privileges although they are more a product of collective memory than of documented evidence. They include the right to herd sheep over London bridge, to go about the City with a drawn sword, and if convicted of a capital offence, to be hung with a silken rope. Other advantages are said to have included the right to avoid being press-ganged, to be married in St Paul's Cathedral, buried in the City and to be drunk and disorderly without fear of arrest.
Dean said "I am delighted to receive this unusual honour. The City of London is a unique locality and I am determined to contribute what I can to life in the area".