Its creator, David Marks, has ruled out allowing any other cities to copy his design for the foreseeable future.

We're bowled over by the success of the Wheel

David Marks, Wheel's designer

In an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Marks explained: "I think it would take something away if it stopped being rare."

And he said anyone doing so without his permission would fall foul of copyright laws.

He said that while there were no immediate plans to build replica wheels in other cities he did not completely rule out copies in the future.

He added that there was nothing to stop other cities building another wheel to a different design.

Launch of Millennium Wheel

But he said: "I can't really imagine a world with several Eiffel Towers or several Statues of Liberty.

"I think for this to work, it needs to remain rare, but that's not to say there couldn't be another one sometime in the future, but not immediately".

The �35m wheel - officially called the British Airways London Eye - opened in February, a month after its scheduled launch date because of technical problems.

About 500,000 people have been on it so far.