Boris Johnson and Arnold Schwarzenegger ride London’s new cable car

Boris Johnson found himself suspended beneath another wire on Sunday afternoon – but this time managed not to get stranded in mid-air as he took Arnold Schwarzenegger for a cable car ride across the Thames.

The former California governor and Hollywood film star, in the capital to promote latest film The Expendables 2, took the recently-opened service with the London Mayor after watching the US ‘Dream Team’ win basketball gold.

He was keen to try out the service, which opened in June and has been carrying an average of 20,000 passengers a day during the Games, as it was built by a firm from his native Austria.

Mr Johnson joked last week that no-one would vote for “a prat who gets stuck in a zip wire” after a publicity stunt ended with him dangling above a London park waving Union Jacks as he awaited rescue.

Mr Schwarzenegger said: “I love coming to London and the energy here right now is amazing.

“The Olympics have been thrilling to watch, and the city has really stepped up to the plate to highlight the greatness of athletic spirit.”