London 2012: Olympics opening ceremony

With the whole world watching, London got ready to launch the 2012 Olympic Games opening ceremony, and boy did they do it spectacular fashion:

• Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins started the Opening Ceremony by ringing the giant Olympic Bell.
• The Queen makes spectacular appearance in simulated helicopter arrival with James Bond star Daniel Craig.

• Sir Kenneth Branagh reads from Shakespeare’s The Tempest
• The audience have been handed 3D glasses and every seat has a magic wand with it

• Rowan Atkinson joins the orchestra as Mr Bean for a comedy skit

• Dizzee Rascal and Emeli Sande perform

• Monarch tells the world: ‘I declare open the Games of London, celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era’
• Muhammad Ali is among flagbearers who carried the Olympic Flag into the Stadium

Sir Steve Redgrave carries the Olympic torch into the Stadium, after David Beckham accompanied it into Stratford on a speedboot

Seven young athletes then light the cauldron

Breathtaking firework display lights up the sky above east London

Sir Paul McCartney brings the show to a close, singing Beatles classic Hey Jude