By Arifa Akbar

For a structure dismissed by planners as "rubbish", it is amazing that the London Eye ever made it to tower over the British capital’s skyline.

But five years on, the giant ferris wheel has earned its place among the world’s most famous landmarks, beating the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty and the leaning tower of Pisa in a poll published last week.

Britons voted the London Eye, which stands 135m high along the South Bank, the world’s best tourist attraction, above the likes of Sydney Opera House and the Vatican in Rome.

The millennial landmark, which celebrated its fifth anniversary this month, was chosen as the site people would most like to see in a survey to find the best holiday destination in the world.

London Eye Brits’ top tourist spot, continued