Mourners waiting to see the Queen lying-in-state this weekend have braved the cold in queues nearing 10 hours.
Well-wishers lined the streets of London from Westminster all the way to Bermondsey early on Friday morning as they awaited their chance to pay respects to the late sovereign during the historic round-the-clock memorial.
Some have collapsed, smuggled in dogs and even brought their babies with them as they brave queues that have snaked nearly five miles.
The 900-year-old Westminster Hall will house the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II until 6.30am on Monday, when the monarch will be brought to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral.
Stories have now emerged of unusual attempts to get around the strict entry rules by a small number of attendees.
Insiders at the Houses of Parliament told MailOnline they had prevented six people from trying to hide pets under their coats as they entered the space of remembrance.
Others had also tried to take infants in with them, despite government guidance recommending that they avoid putting children through the extensive queuing times.
An advisory notice posted on the Gov.uk website reads: “Please note that there will be a queue, which is expected to be very long,”
"You will need to stand for many hours, possibly overnight, with very little opportunity to sit down as the queue will be continuously moving.
“Please consider this before you decide to attend or bring children with you.”
The five-mile line has not been without challenges for some, with images from the scene showing people requiring medical treatment after falling during the long waiting times.
Members of St John's Ambulance are being positioned along the line to provide emergency assistance when needed, with volunteers from the Boy Scouts and Samaritans also there to provide help.
While people in the queue must keep moving, they have been given wristbands to allow them to leave the queue briefly to buy food from 24-hour cafes, use portable toilets or fill water bottles for free.
A cut-off point for new entries is expected to be enforced at some stage of the weekend, potentially as early as Saturday evening.
An official government queue tracker displayed a waiting time of 11 hours at 4am on Friday morning which has since eased.
A number of well-known public figures have already been seen among the crowds at the lying-in-state, with Susanna Reid and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner both spotted on a live stream displaying the proceedings.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip were also seen reflecting and paying tribute to the Queen on Thursday.
MPs and Parliamentary staff are being allowed to advance directly to the Hall, which is situated within the Palace of Westminster.
