It might be cold outside, but surely not cold enough for penguins in the city?

Thankfully, the 624 penguins who headed to The Scoop in central London last week were just Richard House Children’s Hospice supporters in disguise.

They were hoping to waddle their way into the record books and break the Guinness World Record title for the largest gathering of people dressed as penguins.

Following the official count, in which they were deemed to have smashed last year’s record of 373, the penguins took to the streets for a 2km waddle.

Emma Evans, penguin waddle project manager, said: “We were delighted and pleasantly overwhelmed to see so many people wanting to support Richard House and participating in the event.

“ I want to thank them all for their support as it makes a significant difference to the children and young people in our care.

“This year we saw almost twice as many waddlers turn up compared to last year, which means that next year can only get bigger and better!’’

As well as hitting the record books, the event is set to raise thousands of pounds for the Beckton hospice.

This will go towards providing vital care and support for children and young adults with life-limiting health conditions.