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| London 2012: Parade for Olympics and Paralympics GB teams | London 2012: Parade for Olympics and Paralympics GB teams |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| British stars of the Olympics and Paralympics are due to celebrate their success with a victory parade through the streets of central London later. | British stars of the Olympics and Paralympics are due to celebrate their success with a victory parade through the streets of central London later. |
| Tens of thousands of spectators are expected for the parade, the day after the London 2012 Paralympics concluded. | Tens of thousands of spectators are expected for the parade, the day after the London 2012 Paralympics concluded. |
| Sunday's closing ceremony, celebrating ancient British festivals, was led by UK band Coldplay and made the official handover to 2016 host Rio de Janeiro. | Sunday's closing ceremony, celebrating ancient British festivals, was led by UK band Coldplay and made the official handover to 2016 host Rio de Janeiro. |
| It ended what organisers said had been "the greatest Paralympic Games ever". | It ended what organisers said had been "the greatest Paralympic Games ever". |
| From 13:30 BST on Monday, about 800 British Olympic and Paralympic athletes - including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Hannah Cockcroft and Jonnie Peacock - are set to travel on 21 open-top floats, grouped in alphabetical order by their sport, for what is being called "The Greatest Team Parade". | From 13:30 BST on Monday, about 800 British Olympic and Paralympic athletes - including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Hannah Cockcroft and Jonnie Peacock - are set to travel on 21 open-top floats, grouped in alphabetical order by their sport, for what is being called "The Greatest Team Parade". |
| More than 90% of Britain's medal-winners from the Olympics and Paralympics are due to appear. | More than 90% of Britain's medal-winners from the Olympics and Paralympics are due to appear. |
| Organisers have warned there will be extensive road closures around the route of the parade, which starts from Guildhall, in the City of London, and ends at The Mall. | Organisers have warned there will be extensive road closures around the route of the parade, which starts from Guildhall, in the City of London, and ends at The Mall. |
| A big screen with live commentary, at the base of Nelson's Column, near the end of the route in Trafalgar Square, is expected to attract hundreds of fans cheering on the athletes. | A big screen with live commentary, at the base of Nelson's Column, near the end of the route in Trafalgar Square, is expected to attract hundreds of fans cheering on the athletes. |
| A small but growing group of fans, wrapped in union flags, is gathering outside Mansion House where the parade is due to start in a few hours. | |
| Christine Gammons from Folkestone has been here since 07:00 BST. "This is history, we're not going to see this again, it's all been amazing," she says. | |
| "How are we going to cope without it?" | |
| Fellow early birds Donna and Peter Wyatt (pictured) travelled up from Weston-super-Mare by coach on Sunday. They came just for the parade but have had a whirlwind 24 hours, catching David Weir in the marathon and then bumping into Mo Farah. | |
| "I held his medal," says Donna proudly. "This is the icing on the cake to a brilliant summer," she adds, saying she expects to lose her voice today. | |
| "That'll be a bonus," chuckles Peter. | |
| An area along The Mall, overlooking the parade finish, has been reserved for ticket-holders who made "an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes", including 14,000 volunteers, members of the emergency services, military personnel, competitors' coaches, support staff, family and friends, as well as schoolchildren from every London borough. | An area along The Mall, overlooking the parade finish, has been reserved for ticket-holders who made "an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes", including 14,000 volunteers, members of the emergency services, military personnel, competitors' coaches, support staff, family and friends, as well as schoolchildren from every London borough. |
| Olympic diving bronze medallist Tom Daley said: "Today really for me is about, and for the whole team, about going round and giving something back to all the sporting fans, all the people that supported us at the Olympic Games, at the Paralympic Games. | Olympic diving bronze medallist Tom Daley said: "Today really for me is about, and for the whole team, about going round and giving something back to all the sporting fans, all the people that supported us at the Olympic Games, at the Paralympic Games. |
| "Hopefully, if we get lots of people out here today, it just really does give you a last kick of the Olympic buzz before it all finishes." | "Hopefully, if we get lots of people out here today, it just really does give you a last kick of the Olympic buzz before it all finishes." |
| The celebrations include a flypast over The Mall, led by the British Airways plane that brought the Olympic flame to the UK and also featuring the Red Arrows. | The celebrations include a flypast over The Mall, led by the British Airways plane that brought the Olympic flame to the UK and also featuring the Red Arrows. |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "It promises to be an incredible afternoon but I do want to remind people coming that we expect the route to be extremely busy and planning ahead is absolutely crucial if they are going to be able to make the most of their day." | |
| Dame Kelly Holmes, double Olympic gold medallist, said: "It's a fantastic day - I remember coming back in 2004 and you're going through the streets of London on the floats waving to the crowds. | Dame Kelly Holmes, double Olympic gold medallist, said: "It's a fantastic day - I remember coming back in 2004 and you're going through the streets of London on the floats waving to the crowds. |
| "It is a shame it's a Monday so the school kids can't see them but, you know, the public have just done us so proud at these Games and I have to say that these Games are so special because of everybody just getting so involved." | "It is a shame it's a Monday so the school kids can't see them but, you know, the public have just done us so proud at these Games and I have to say that these Games are so special because of everybody just getting so involved." |
| 'Changed forever' | 'Changed forever' |
| Sunday's Paralympics closing ceremony, billed as a "festival of flame", saw Coldplay play songs from their five albums while disabled and non-disabled dancers performed with flames around the burning face of a "sun king". | Sunday's Paralympics closing ceremony, billed as a "festival of flame", saw Coldplay play songs from their five albums while disabled and non-disabled dancers performed with flames around the burning face of a "sun king". |
| The sold-out finale also featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial. | The sold-out finale also featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial. |
| Channel 4's coverage of the ceremony drew an average audience of 5.9 million, a quarter of the total TV audience at the time, and peaked at 7.7 million viewers - according to early "overnight" viewing figures. | |
| The broadcaster's coverage of the final day's action also made it the most-watched channel on Sunday, beating BBC One and ITV1. | |
| Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever." | Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever." |
| He said they had been "unique and, without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes, the greatest Paralympic Games ever". | He said they had been "unique and, without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes, the greatest Paralympic Games ever". |
| The ceremony saw Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock help to put out the Paralympic flame, which was shared out across the stadium symbolising "the eternal nature of the flame living among us all". | The ceremony saw Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock help to put out the Paralympic flame, which was shared out across the stadium symbolising "the eternal nature of the flame living among us all". |
| Each participating country will take home one of the 200 copper petals that made up the Paralympic cauldron. | Each participating country will take home one of the 200 copper petals that made up the Paralympic cauldron. |
| Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way. | Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way. |
| "The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." | "The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." |
| Lord Coe added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity. | Lord Coe added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity. |
| "We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012. | "We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012. |
| "London 2012. Made in Britain." | "London 2012. Made in Britain." |
| China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold. Great Britain cemented third place, behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds. | China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold. Great Britain cemented third place, behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds. |
| In other developments on the final weekend of the 2012 Paralympic Games: | In other developments on the final weekend of the 2012 Paralympic Games: |
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| As Sunday's show began, a tribute was paid to the armed forces and military charity, Help for Heroes. | As Sunday's show began, a tribute was paid to the armed forces and military charity, Help for Heroes. |
| Weir and Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey, who both won four gold medals at the Games, carried the British flag into the stadium, as flagbearers representing 164 nations participating in the Paralympics entered the arena. | Weir and Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey, who both won four gold medals at the Games, carried the British flag into the stadium, as flagbearers representing 164 nations participating in the Paralympics entered the arena. |
| And Captain Luke Sinnott, who lost both legs in an IED bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan, climbed the flagpole to raise the union jack. | And Captain Luke Sinnott, who lost both legs in an IED bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan, climbed the flagpole to raise the union jack. |
| After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the Games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop, freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers. | After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the Games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop, freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers. |
| Will you be going to the London victory parade? You can send us your comments, photos, and videos using the form below. | Will you be going to the London victory parade? You can send us your comments, photos, and videos using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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