Little Ben chimes in with voice to rival big brother

Big Ben faces competition from its little brother for the first time today

Little Ben, a 30ft miniature replica of the Westminster landmark less than a mile away in Victoria, has been given its own equally loud bongs.

The chimes, which will be heard today on every hour between 7am and 7pm, herald tomorrow's 150th anniversary of Big Ben's first bong on 11 July 1859.

Today's event is part of Visit London's Only in London campaign, which celebrates the capital's more unusual and lesser-known attractions. Little Ben was built in 1892, removed in 1964 and restored by Westminster council in 1981 with funding from a French oil firm as a token of Franco-British friendship.

Visit London's chief executive, Sally Chatterjee, said: "Perhaps one of London's best kept secrets, it's high time Little Ben came out from the shadows and was given a voice."

The group is also promoting the London Stone, off Cannon Street, which was once said to be the city's guardian. Another treasure is Cleopatra's Needle, given to Britain by Egypt after Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile in 1798.