INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

As a world centre for fashion, finance and culture Britain's capital has long been a city where the rich come to flash their cash.

But the average Londoner may well have clocked a few more expensive cars on the roads than is normal, even for such an affluent city. 

Each summer the Middle-Eastern monied elite escape the blistering summer heat of their countries and embark on a six-week tour around Europe's premier destinations.

Flash! A bright pink Abu Dhabi-registered Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead

Line up: Four supercars parked by their Middle Eastern owners as they embark on the UK leg of their European tour

Unusual: An Iraqi-registered Mercedes G55 with an interesting paint-job makes its way through London

Arriving in London for the UK leg of the excursion, known as The Season, the volume of brightly coloured and brilliant sports cars has not gone unnoticed by residents.

Over the past week supercars have been spotted by tourists and locals driving around the exclusive neighbourhoods of Knightsbridge and Kensington.

And there were five rare vehicles worth almost £5 million outside the Dorchester Hotel in swanky Mayfair - all believed to be owned by the same mega-rich Saudi.

Pricey: A Saudi-registered Ferrari 458 and Mercedes next to each other in a London car park

Conspicuous? A Saudi-registered Ferrari 599 sticks out like a sore thumb next to London's uniform black cabs and red double-decker buses

Parking ticket? The owner of this Kuwait-registered Ferrari 458 better hope that he doesn't get clocked by a traffic warden on those double yellow lines

These included two £1.5-million plus Bugatti Veyrons alongside a £1 million Koenigsegg Agera, a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a matt black Lamborghini Aventador.

Also spotted was an Abu Dhabi-registered Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe in pink, and an all-yellow Ferrari 599 from Saudi Arabia.

And there was even an Iraqi-registered Mercedes 4x4 with an interesting paint-job seen driving through town.

A Bugatti Veyron pulls out into traffic in central London

Eyes on the road! A young man driving a very expensive Mercedes SLR seems more interested in the sights than the traffic

Londoner Matt Rogers, 25, said: 'I couldn’t believe my eyes when I strolled past the Dorchester Hotel to see all of these amazing cars in one place.

'I had never seen a Bugatti Veyron before but there were two parked up on either side of another flash supercar. Then I saw another Veyron shortly after. It was crazy.'

Shame: A Dubai-registered Ferrari F430 is clamped

Clamped: A Saudi-registered Ferrari F430 has outstayed its welcome on one London street

But while there have been a number of harmless posers driving around there have been a number of drivers disregarding the rules of the road.

One Bahraini driver was photographed and filmed ‘powersliding’ his Nissan GT-R in busy traffic missing pedestrians by a matter of feet.

And two Ferrari F430s - one registered in Saudi Arabia and one in Dubai - were pictured after being clamped.