:00:36. > :00:41.Hello and a very good afternoon, from Buckingham Palace. Welcome to
:00:41. > :00:46.this BBC News Special, as we count down to the opening ceremony of
:00:46. > :00:51.London 2012. I'm Jane Hill, it is seven years of course since London
:00:51. > :00:55.was awarded the Games of the 30th Olympiad. Billions have been spent
:00:55. > :00:59.on the preparations and there have of course been problems, perhaps
:00:59. > :01:02.inevitably, initially around ticketing and then of course the
:01:02. > :01:05.issues we all know so much about regarding security, but perhaps
:01:05. > :01:10.those discussions are now to be resumed in a few weeks' time
:01:10. > :01:14.because right here, right now, we are just 24 hours away from the
:01:14. > :01:19.opening ceremony and now we are concentrating on the final stages
:01:19. > :01:25.of the journey of the Olympic flame. It set off from Land's End 69 days
:01:25. > :01:30.ago. It is due here at Buckingham Palace in about an hour from now.
:01:30. > :01:33.Let's just take a look at the scene right now. The Olympic torch
:01:34. > :01:39.travelling really through the heart of the capital, through the heart
:01:39. > :01:44.of this host city. This the scene from our helicopter, through Oxford
:01:44. > :01:48.Street, a mecca of shopping, but my goodness, look at it now, thousands
:01:48. > :01:54.and thousands of people out on the streets to welcome the Olympic
:01:54. > :01:59.torch. And we are also live in Trafalgar
:01:59. > :02:03.Square. Again, I think - well we get the sense there, don't we -
:02:03. > :02:09.outside the National Gallery, again the sheer numbers of people who are
:02:09. > :02:14.out there on the most perfect London evening to greet the torch.
:02:14. > :02:18.And we are out and about on the Mall as well. Because not too long
:02:18. > :02:21.now until the torch ising brought up the Mall and through to
:02:21. > :02:26.Buckingham Palace, here a little later this evening, where among
:02:26. > :02:32.others, it will be greeted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. And
:02:32. > :02:36.the close of the day sees a concert in Hyde Park. If you are not there
:02:36. > :02:42.already, I'm not sure how anyone is going to get a place. Every patch
:02:42. > :02:46.of grass appears to be taken. A big concert there tonight. A capacity
:02:46. > :02:53.of up to 80,000 people for that concert there in Hyde Park and that
:02:53. > :02:57.is where the cauldron will be lit later this evening once it has
:02:57. > :03:00.passed ugs here at Buckingham Palace. It'll stay there for the
:03:01. > :03:06.night. -- passed us here. This is the last full day of the Torch
:03:06. > :03:10.Relay. Also this evening, we are at Old Trafford. We have not yet seen
:03:10. > :03:16.the Olympic ceremony but as you may well know, the Games are under way.
:03:16. > :03:22.We have had football already. Team GB's football team will be playing
:03:22. > :03:27.at Old Trafford, their first match in just a short while. Due to play
:03:27. > :03:37.Senegal in just a short while. Let's just assess the latest on the
:03:37. > :03:40.
:03:40. > :03:44.torch's progress. Let's look again at those scenes of Oxford Street.
:03:44. > :03:47.It has truly been an advert for London today. This torch relay has
:03:47. > :03:50.been three years in the planning and today I would think the
:03:50. > :03:54.organisers would say and we will be talking to people over the course
:03:54. > :03:59.of the next hour who are very much involved in this whole process,
:03:59. > :04:05.this has been the trickiest day logisticically. 32 miles, can you
:04:05. > :04:08.believe, around the capital, 123 torchbearers today in all alone. We
:04:08. > :04:12.will find out more about how you go about planning something on that
:04:12. > :04:16.scale and making sure it all works, over the course of the next hour.
:04:16. > :04:21.Now the latest from our correspondents along the route. In
:04:21. > :04:26.a moment we will cross to Philipa Thomas, she is out and about not
:04:26. > :04:31.that far from me here on the Mall. Let's head first to Jon Brain in
:04:31. > :04:36.Trafalgar Square. From that brief glimpse we just now a remarkable
:04:36. > :04:40.turnout backsing in the evening sunshine.
:04:40. > :04:45.-- basking. Yes and when London won the Olympic
:04:45. > :04:50.bid in 2005, the announcements with relayed live on a big screen here
:04:50. > :04:54.and there were thousands packing the square then to celebrate a
:04:54. > :04:58.party atmosphere. If you look at the countdown clock you see how
:04:58. > :05:03.quickly seven years have passed. One day, three hours and 55 minutes
:05:03. > :05:07.to go before the opening ceremony. And as you can see a huge crowd has
:05:07. > :05:13.built up once again for the torch as we have seen across the country
:05:13. > :05:16.for the past 69 days and now of course for the past few days in the
:05:16. > :05:25.capital. I think three million people alone have seen the torch in
:05:25. > :05:31.London. It'll be carried here by 15-year-old Patrick Kane. He
:05:31. > :05:37.scribed describes himself as bionic boy. He has the most advanced false
:05:37. > :05:41.hand in the world. That's not yes has been given this honour. He is
:05:41. > :05:45.someone who has not allowed his disability to define him and has
:05:45. > :05:51.been described as an inspiration. He will be here shortly and the
:05:51. > :05:55.torch will then head en route to Downing Street.
:05:55. > :06:00.Jon mentioning the opening sermony. We will have a teaser, a flavour of
:06:00. > :06:05.a few rehearsal pictures, which surprisingly have been released, of
:06:05. > :06:10.the ceremony which so many people will be watching tomorrow night.
:06:10. > :06:13.Let's go to Philipa Thomas, you are probably not too far away from me.
:06:13. > :06:16.What have the crowds been telling me? The crowds have mostly been
:06:16. > :06:20.asking me when it is going to get here. There is excitement about the
:06:20. > :06:25.fact that the torch will come here, through this gate, not too long
:06:26. > :06:30.from now. It will come up Bird Cage Walk go into Buckingham Palace,
:06:30. > :06:34.it's fourth royal residence after Balmoral, sand drink ham and
:06:34. > :06:38.Windsor Castle, it comes to Buckingham Palace and telelucky
:06:38. > :06:42.torchbearers will bring the torch here and across the forecourt of
:06:42. > :06:46.Buckingham Palace and then the torches kiss and the torch will
:06:46. > :06:50.come out at the other end. Those three, a Special Constable,
:06:50. > :06:55.somebody who works for an AIDS charity, and a mountain rescue
:06:55. > :06:58.working from Wales. They will be introduced to the three senior
:06:58. > :07:01.royals here here to welcome the torch to Buckingham Palace and that
:07:01. > :07:05.is of course Kate and William and Harry. They will be here because
:07:05. > :07:09.the Queen will be seeing the torch again at the Olympic opening
:07:09. > :07:12.ceremony. When the torch exists again a short time after it comes
:07:12. > :07:16.through, all carefully choreographed, it'll be accompanyed
:07:16. > :07:19.by the Household Cavalry as it goes up constitution Hill. The
:07:19. > :07:29.excitement here is building. Lovely, we will talk to you later, thank
:07:29. > :07:36.you very much. Now, as I suggested, we can show you a few images
:07:36. > :07:40.released by OBS, the Olympic broadcasting service, it has
:07:40. > :07:45.surprisingly released a few pictures of the rehearsal of
:07:45. > :07:50.tomorrow's opening ceremony. We will show you a little of what we
:07:50. > :07:53.are allowed to show you. There were flavours there of the NHS. We know
:07:53. > :07:59.there have been a couple of rehearsals at the Olympic Park in
:07:59. > :08:05.east London over the course of the week. You might have followed it on
:08:05. > :08:08.twitter, with the hashtag, keep the secret. Well the secret is out to
:08:08. > :08:12.some degree. It is a very long ceremony. I think it is about three
:08:12. > :08:16.hours' long. I think there is a lot more to see there. That is a little
:08:16. > :08:23.flavour they have released to the media in the last hour or so.
:08:23. > :08:30.The torch, I think, still making its way down Oxford Street. Slowly
:08:30. > :08:39.making its way eventually to where our core respondents are --
:08:39. > :08:45.correspondents. The torch is being carried on the
:08:45. > :08:49.bus, make its way gingerly down Oxford Street. 32 miles across the
:08:49. > :08:53.capital that it will have travelled by the end of the day, by the time
:08:53. > :08:59.the cauldron is lit tonight in Hyde Park. So many famous places in
:08:59. > :09:02.London have been passed through today. Shakespeare's globe, the
:09:02. > :09:07.Millennium Bridge, Battersea dogs and cats home. Chelsea football
:09:07. > :09:10.ground. There are so many more. It has been quite a spectacular day
:09:10. > :09:14.visually and the organisers surely could not have been more delighted.
:09:14. > :09:17.Not least with the weather because that has encouraged people to turn
:09:17. > :09:23.out, but just the enthusiasm that has greeted the torch throughout
:09:23. > :09:28.the host city. And it is, can you believe, 9 days since the torch
:09:28. > :09:33.first set off from Land's End in Cornwall, 8,000 torchbearers in all
:09:33. > :09:37.have carried it in that time. -- 69 days since the torch set off from
:09:37. > :09:46.Land's End. Robert Hall has been taking a look
:09:46. > :09:54.at the journey of the Olympic torch. # Today this could be
:09:54. > :10:04.# The greatest day of our lives... # At the western tip of Cornwall,
:10:04. > :10:09.
:10:09. > :10:13.an historic journey begins. 300 people, 20 vehicles and a flame
:10:13. > :10:17.born on Mount Olympus, which would light up the lives of those who
:10:17. > :10:22.carried it. As the convoy rolled on through the
:10:22. > :10:27.south-west, news was spreading. Communities which had nominated
:10:27. > :10:31.their own torchbearers turned out in their thousands. Mile by mile
:10:31. > :10:35.the convoy's cameras captured personal stories which would move
:10:35. > :10:39.us all. The story of this 12-year- old, battling a brain tumour but
:10:39. > :10:44.determined to walk the last few steps. I was in tears, I know a lot
:10:44. > :10:53.of my colleagues were in tears. His grandmother shook my hand. She said
:10:53. > :10:58."Thank you." I said "Don't thank me, it is down to your grandson."
:10:58. > :11:04.the Avon Gorge a spectacular start to a day that ended at Cheltenham
:11:04. > :11:08.racecourse. Zara Phillips cheered on by 30,000 people. I was out here
:11:08. > :11:12.a bit earlier and there wasn't as many people. I came out and I was
:11:12. > :11:18.like, "Oh, my God," it was unbelievable. Westwards to Wales
:11:18. > :11:24.and upwards it the peak of Mount Snowdon where Chris Bodington
:11:24. > :11:30.completed a climb he would never forget. I'm quite emotional about
:11:31. > :11:40.it because I started climbing here in Snowdonia 50 years ago. To be
:11:40. > :11:44.asked to carry this torch here in the Olympic relay means a lot.
:11:44. > :11:50.In Shropshire, Ricky Fergusson stirred emotions in the tiny
:11:50. > :11:56.village of Browsley. Badly injured in Afghanistan, Ricky's courage and
:11:56. > :12:00.determination have made him a local legend. It was hard work, belief me.
:12:00. > :12:09.On fake legs. But I done it. I thought I'm not going to stop until
:12:09. > :12:15.I get to the top, and I did it. Across the Mersey to a packed
:12:16. > :12:22.quayside, Liverpool proud to own the flame just for a night.
:12:22. > :12:26.Olympic flame is Liverpool's flame. In Northern Ireland, burning above
:12:26. > :12:31.a landscape 60 million years old, the torch was seen as a symbol of
:12:31. > :12:36.unity. I think it means we can work and play and enjoy ourselves
:12:36. > :12:41.together. And nearer to the Arctic Circle than to London, and a
:12:41. > :12:46.reminder of Shetland's Viking past, the relay prepared to turn south
:12:46. > :12:53.once more. It is just amazing. It is really getting everyone into the
:12:53. > :12:56.spirit of the Olympics. Back over the border a Chief Scout was on a
:12:56. > :13:02.zip wire. Torchbearers proposed marriage in
:13:02. > :13:08.North Yorkshire. And summer vanished. Driving the
:13:08. > :13:12.torch on to the dancefloor at Blackpool Tower.
:13:12. > :13:22.The clouds did part in the Thames Valley to allow an Olympic rowing
:13:22. > :13:28.icon to make a more sedate river trip. To cross that line and it was
:13:28. > :13:33.very, very special. But by the afternoon, rain was pound on the
:13:33. > :13:37.roof of Windsor Castle, why Gina McGregor presented the torch for
:13:37. > :13:43.royal inspection. On day 63, the flame left the southern counties
:13:43. > :13:49.and arrived in style at London's ancient fortress. It had travelled
:13:49. > :13:53.over 7,000 miles and it had lit what London's mayor described as "a
:13:53. > :14:03.bushfire of Olympic enthusiasm", bringing over 10 million people
:14:03. > :14:03.
:14:03. > :14:10.that little bit closer to one of sport's great spectaculars.
:14:10. > :14:14.And just a flavour of 69 days, as we watch the torch make its way
:14:14. > :14:17.down Oxford Street right in the heart of London. It's going through
:14:17. > :14:21.Regent Street, Soho, Number Ten Downing Street, so many famous
:14:21. > :14:25.addresses, that it is making its way along over the course of the
:14:25. > :14:29.day and what a logistical and planning and security operation
:14:29. > :14:36.this is to take it through the capital. Let's talk to one man who
:14:36. > :14:38.can shed a great deal of light as to how it has been managed,
:14:38. > :14:43.Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, very glad to have you with
:14:43. > :14:47.us. A huge relay, millions have seen the torch in London alone. You
:14:47. > :14:52.only have to walk through the streets to see what an operation it
:14:52. > :14:56.is. Phenomenal. Up until yesterday 3 million pem have been estimated
:14:56. > :15:00.to see in lon n London. The roads have been crammed so God knows how
:15:00. > :15:03.many have seen it today. When it arrived at the Tower of London last
:15:03. > :15:07.week and you knew it was London's week it make this sing, do you
:15:07. > :15:11.approach that with nervousness, excitement? What is the key
:15:11. > :15:16.emotion? A combination of all. It had 63 fantastic days across the
:15:17. > :15:20.country. It came to London, and since then we have had fantastic
:15:20. > :15:26.crowds out. The torch security team have had a fantastic welcome and
:15:26. > :15:29.have been allowed to do their job, to ensure the focus is on the torch
:15:29. > :15:34.and torchbearer. With 24 hours to the opening sermony, you are
:15:34. > :15:37.feeling confident? We are in a very good place, very good plans, very
:15:37. > :15:40.good partnership, LOCOG the event organiser, the police service and
:15:40. > :15:44.the military working closely together with G4S to make sure the
:15:44. > :15:48.Games are safe and secure. We think we are in a good place. I know we
:15:48. > :15:52.have to let you go, an exceptionally busy time for you and
:15:52. > :16:00.the Assistant Commissioner was just reflecting a little earlier how he
:16:00. > :16:06.was so proud as he put it to me, to run with members of the TST, the
:16:06. > :16:12.Torch Security cap team who have familiar to us in those grey
:16:12. > :16:21.uniforms. We will look at it again making its way through Oxford
:16:21. > :16:26.It was running late a couple of hours ago.
:16:26. > :16:30.Broadly, not too bad at all, given the sheer logistics of all of this.
:16:30. > :16:33.Let's talk to one man, who I think it is fair to say n a nice way,
:16:33. > :16:37.probably did slow down the progress of the torch earlier this afternoon,
:16:38. > :16:42.because if you were watching you may have seen the one and only Sir
:16:42. > :16:48.Bruce Forsyth with the torch at White City. That, because it is the
:16:48. > :16:53.seat of the 1908 Olympics. He is there now. So lovely to talk to you.
:16:53. > :17:01.My goodness, you looked as if you were really, really enjoying
:17:01. > :17:07.yourself. Give me a crowd as big as that and I'd do anything. I wish it
:17:07. > :17:12.had been 1500 metres. I could have gone on back to Land's End, where
:17:12. > :17:18.it started. It was so warm, so friendly and so lovely.
:17:18. > :17:27.What happened before people had phones and cameras? I don't know!
:17:27. > :17:34.It was a wonderful experience. One of the best experiences of my life.
:17:34. > :17:39.We are seeing your famous pose. The most enormous cheer went up. We
:17:39. > :17:46.have not had an estimate of the numbers of people there. Did you
:17:47. > :17:52.think that you would be received by quite that many people? I am used
:17:52. > :17:58.to it now, because I did the Albert Hall a couple of months ago, to
:17:58. > :18:02.5,000 people. Then I did the Hop Farm Festival, which had 30,000
:18:02. > :18:06.people. I am getting used to big crowds. I think I'll end up being
:18:06. > :18:10.an arena performer! Perhaps not in the Olympic Park.
:18:11. > :18:17.What do the Olympics mean to you? What are you looking forward to
:18:17. > :18:25.most about the Olympics? Well, I love sport. I will watch every
:18:25. > :18:28.minute of it. The only trouble is, like when I watch the Open Golf, at
:18:28. > :18:32.the end I will be exhausted, because I go through every event
:18:32. > :18:36.there will be. I will go through it with them. So, at the end I will be
:18:36. > :18:42.so exhausted I will probably have to go into a London clinic, because
:18:42. > :18:45.I do get involved in it. I love the competitiveness, because I have
:18:45. > :18:50.been in show business, it is competitive. I love seeing the way
:18:50. > :18:54.they train, what it means to them, the way they have dedicated
:18:54. > :18:58.probably two years, maybe even three years, dedicated to these
:18:58. > :19:08.three weeks. So, I am fascinated and I love it.
:19:08. > :19:13.I can't wait to watch it. Have you bfpb invited to the
:19:13. > :19:19.Opening Ceremony? Do they sneak you a special ticket? No. I'm not going
:19:19. > :19:24.to the Opening Ceremony. There again I will love to watch it on
:19:24. > :19:32.television. Not that there'll be any retakes - I hope not - any
:19:32. > :19:35.retakes of the opening ceremony. I won't be there because it is about
:19:35. > :19:40.two-and-a-half, three hours from where I live, so it would be an
:19:40. > :19:47.effort to get there. I will be there in spirit. As I said earlier
:19:47. > :19:51.to somebody, I hope all our British athletes, rowers and all of the
:19:51. > :19:56.cyclists, everybody - I hope they get that little bit of luck, which
:19:56. > :20:00.you need, like in show business, you always need a bit of luck. With
:20:01. > :20:04.sporting people like this, that little bit of luck can make all the
:20:05. > :20:09.difference between winning and losing. I hope every one of them
:20:09. > :20:15.has that little bit of luck. Bruce Forsyth, that is a lovely
:20:15. > :20:19.note on which to end. I am sure there are a lot of people who echo
:20:19. > :20:26.those sentiments. We so enjoyed his performance with the torch earlier.
:20:26. > :20:32.It is worth watching on iPlayer if you did not see it. This runner is
:20:32. > :20:38.with the torch at the moment. The kiss has just taken place, I am
:20:38. > :20:48.told. That kiss we have become sofa mill yar with in the last 69 days,
:20:48. > :20:51.
:20:51. > :20:55.where one torch lights the next. One of the key elements the torch
:20:55. > :21:00.organisers have been keen to stress is the individual stories -
:21:00. > :21:06.torchbearers, the reasons they have been chosen, nominated. Let's talk
:21:06. > :21:11.to just two of those torchbearers. With me here at Buckingham Palace
:21:11. > :21:16.is Ahmed Jalloh and Sharon Coleman. Lovely you have brought your torch
:21:16. > :21:21.as well. Both in Southwark - a key element of the preparations. Where
:21:21. > :21:28.did you run with it, or walk with it? What your your feeling? I ran
:21:28. > :21:33.with it on old Kent Road from the Tesco around the corner. What did
:21:33. > :21:39.you make of the crowds? That is one thing which has been consistent -
:21:39. > :21:47.the huge turnout? We didn't think there were going to be that many
:21:47. > :21:52.people. As we came through Old Kent Road we started to see the crowds.
:21:52. > :21:56.It was fantastic to see huge crowds, which I didn't expect. They did a
:21:56. > :22:00.piece on the Southwark Life Magazine about my story. People
:22:00. > :22:04.were holding it up. It was amazing to see.
:22:04. > :22:09.It was fantastic! And you sound a little bit emotional, in a good way.
:22:09. > :22:14.Was it the same for you? It was amazing. I ran through Camberwell.
:22:14. > :22:20.I have to say, last year London was in trouble, this year was London at
:22:20. > :22:24.its best. It was amazing, absolutely amazing! I live and work
:22:24. > :22:29.in Southwark. Southwark residents and the community did us proud
:22:29. > :22:35.today. It was amazing, emotional and amazing. 24 hours from the
:22:35. > :22:41.opening ceremony, what is your feeling? My feeling, as Sharon was
:22:41. > :22:46.saying, is many different races, colours, creeds and.... Ages.
:22:46. > :22:51.It was a United Kingdom, I would say. It was very, very.... Amazing.
:22:51. > :22:58.We were so lucky. We are humbled and so proud.
:22:58. > :23:02.Fantastic to talk to you! They have remarkable stories - so
:23:02. > :23:06.much charity work. There are so many stories we could relate as we
:23:06. > :23:09.continue to monitor the torch's progress, as it makes its way here
:23:09. > :23:16.to us at Buckingham Palace. I think it is still heading down regent's
:23:16. > :23:20.street at the moment. Something of a jog going on. The
:23:20. > :23:24.torchbearers are given a choice, you can jog, walk or do what Sir
:23:24. > :23:29.Forsyth did and have your picture taken many, many times. Actually
:23:29. > :23:36.not progress very far at all. Wherever you go, just hearing those
:23:36. > :23:40.stories of Ahmed and Sharon, it is so moving, the stories every
:23:41. > :23:44.torchbearer has to tell and people so touched by the turnout.
:23:44. > :23:48.Ultimately it is all heading to East London, to the Olympic Park.
:23:48. > :23:53.That will be tomorrow. The torch will be moved to the Olympic Park
:23:53. > :23:57.tomorrow evening for that Opening Ceremony. Of course, let's reflect
:23:57. > :24:00.on what we might see there. Let's cross over to my colleague Jon
:24:00. > :24:05.Sopel. I thought we will try and show you
:24:05. > :24:08.what will happen when you arrive at the Olympic Park. You will come out
:24:08. > :24:17.of Stratford station, through the shopping centre, behind me, and you
:24:17. > :24:23.will see rows of white tents - that is for the skurt City. They have --
:24:23. > :24:27.security. That is where all the soldiers are and the G4s guys. They
:24:27. > :24:30.will try and get you through as quickly as possible, so you can get
:24:30. > :24:38.in and see the sport. As I walk through this way, the first thing
:24:39. > :24:48.you will come across is the Aquatic Centre here - it's fantastic roof.
:24:49. > :24:51.
:24:51. > :24:54.It is the second building in the park. It is where Rebecca
:24:54. > :25:01.Adlington's hopes will be. They will guide you through the park. If
:25:01. > :25:06.we go the other way, that is where the water polo will be played.
:25:06. > :25:10.There, this used to be an absolute dump. It was where people dumped
:25:10. > :25:14.their fridges. It was known as "fridge mountain" when they started
:25:14. > :25:17.to redevelop the park. Of course it was just a mess this place. One of
:25:17. > :25:21.the things I think that will strike you when you come to the Olympic
:25:21. > :25:25.Park is the sense that it is more than just sporting venues that you
:25:25. > :25:30.are going to come across. Some of the landscaping, some of the
:25:30. > :25:36.gardens which have been built here are truly magnificent. I want to
:25:36. > :25:41.give you a flavour of what you will see. The waterways are crystal-
:25:41. > :25:45.clear. Fish are swimming in them. You will see trees, wonderful lawns,
:25:45. > :25:49.amazing flowers. They have done a stunning job on redeveloping this
:25:49. > :25:54.particular piece of land. So, they have got an awful lot to show you
:25:54. > :26:02.here. I think what we need to do is also just spin around a bit because
:26:02. > :26:08.I want to show you the rest of the park. These are some of the iconic
:26:08. > :26:13.buildings you will see. The tallest structure which has been built. If
:26:13. > :26:20.you go up that way, that is where you will find the velodrome, you
:26:20. > :26:23.will find the basketball, handball, you name it - it's all in this park.
:26:23. > :26:33.Take sturdy shoes with you. This park is huge. You'll do a lot of
:26:33. > :26:39.walking when you come here. I have packed my trainers already.
:26:39. > :26:46.Well, we have been reflecting on the progress of the torch so far,
:26:46. > :26:50.as we build up to that opening ceremony. Let's speak to the IOC
:26:50. > :26:55.historian, David Miller, who is with me at the palace this evening.
:26:55. > :26:59.What a lovely story we heard from the young man who carried the torch
:26:59. > :27:04.through Southwark. He said he felt it was a United Kingdom. You have
:27:04. > :27:09.followed 21 Olympics. What is your take on London? I think it has been
:27:09. > :27:14.truly exceptional. My opinion will be that it has united the people of
:27:14. > :27:20.Great Britain more than say even the World Cup in 1966. The mood has
:27:20. > :27:26.been phenomenal. Not only that, I think it has created a great sense
:27:26. > :27:31.of national pride. I had to see someone this afternoon, the Ritz
:27:31. > :27:36.Hotel which is elegant and sober has hanging in its lob bia Union
:27:36. > :27:43.Jack half the size of a tennis court. It is quite exceptional.
:27:43. > :27:47.People have taken to it, even the minor little streets in relatively
:27:47. > :27:52.insignificant towns have been packed wall-to-wall. To say it has
:27:52. > :27:56.united the nation more than the '66 World Cup is a statement. I feel
:27:56. > :28:01.there could be someone listening to you, who says I live in a town or
:28:01. > :28:07.city a long way from London, I can not afford to get to the Olympic
:28:07. > :28:15.Park, or cannot afford tickets, what does it mean to me? How does
:28:15. > :28:21.it unite a nation when it is concentrated in the south-east.
:28:21. > :28:24.mood in Liverpool, or the north- east was equally euphoric about,
:28:24. > :28:31.we're hosting the World Cup and we're hosting the world. I think
:28:31. > :28:37.people have taken to this that Britain is now a kind of Noah's Ark
:28:37. > :28:41.of the human race. Everybody is here. It is truly exceptional.
:28:41. > :28:45.difficulties? We know Boris Johnson has had a few things to say about
:28:45. > :28:51.the cynicism of some people. Actually, as a historian at the
:28:51. > :28:57.Olympics, is that to be expected? Is that something we see in the
:28:57. > :29:03.run-up to every Games? It is in the Anglo-Saxon nature I suppose.
:29:03. > :29:06.Sydney was bleak about their Games, but in the end Sydney was a joyous
:29:06. > :29:10.time. People respond in a particular way to the Olympics,
:29:10. > :29:15.because, and I think this is so exceptional, the Olympics involves
:29:15. > :29:21.the great and the small. You have the little people liquefyy
:29:21. > :29:26.alongside the United States. No other sport has this side by side
:29:26. > :29:30.of the great and the small. That separates the Olympics from
:29:30. > :29:36.everything else. David Miller, it has been a pleasure speaking to you.
:29:36. > :29:46.Thank you for that perspective, a man who has seen 21 Olympics, and
:29:46. > :29:46.
:29:46. > :29:51.written by og graphrys of -- biographys of people involved.
:29:51. > :29:57.I have never seen so many bikes moving along with such ease. It is
:29:57. > :30:01.a beautiful sight in itself. The torch sets off. The crowds are
:30:01. > :30:05.undimmed, aren't they? No matter where you look, no matter which
:30:05. > :30:11.camera angle we take, thousands and thousands of people are out on the
:30:11. > :30:15.streets. As Lord Coe was saying this afternoon in a news conference,
:30:15. > :30:21.three million people in London have seen the torch, that is up until
:30:21. > :30:27.the end of yesterday, not including today's figures. It culminates
:30:27. > :30:32.tonight in Hyde Park. Let's cross over to the park and speak to
:30:32. > :30:42.Sophie Raworth. The gates opened at 2pm for the concert. I imagine it
:30:42. > :30:46.
:30:46. > :30:54.is getting very, very full where It is getting very, very full. A
:30:54. > :30:59.wonderful atmosphere. Up to 60,000 people are here. The big acts, like
:30:59. > :31:06.Dizzee Rascal and The Wanted. But it is the Olympic flame we are
:31:06. > :31:10.waiting to see. It is due to areef here about 7.15pm tonight and the
:31:10. > :31:14.last torchbearer of the day will carry the torch through the gate
:31:14. > :31:20.over there, along the front of the stage and on the stage. The young
:31:20. > :31:26.man who has the honour of carrying the flame at the end of this last
:31:26. > :31:32.full day of the relay, is a 19- year-old called Taylor cap Ricks.
:31:32. > :31:37.He has been chosen because he has achieved a great deal. He has
:31:37. > :31:44.played for his county, he is a saxophonist. He does a bit of
:31:44. > :31:48.modelling, too, but it is all about inspirational people. This theme of
:31:48. > :31:53.this torch relay, it is their moment to shine, and it'll be a
:31:53. > :31:58.moment for Tiler Nicks. Once he gets on to the stage he will be
:31:58. > :32:01.greeted by the Mayor of London Borris Johnson and a couple of
:32:01. > :32:06.surprised guests. They are not telling us who they are and then he
:32:06. > :32:10.will light the cauldron. Amazing to think, Jane, tomorrow night it will
:32:10. > :32:13.be the cauldron at the Olympic stadium that will be burning very,
:32:13. > :32:20.very brightly. Yes, indeed. Many thanks, not so
:32:20. > :32:23.long to go. Tyler was looking relaxed but he said he was very
:32:23. > :32:26.nervous. No I have seen the shots and you get the sense of how many
:32:26. > :32:31.people are waiting to see him, I think I would be a little nervous
:32:31. > :32:35.as well. As we mentioned, the Games are started in terms of football.
:32:35. > :32:40.Football is under way even though the opening ceremony hasn't
:32:40. > :32:43.happened yet. Let's cross to Old Trafford and join our sports
:32:44. > :32:49.correspondent Dan Roan, what is happening where you are there
:32:49. > :32:55.tonight? Well an equally warm atmosphere here in Manchester. This
:32:55. > :32:57.of course is a football-mad city with a team that has dominated
:32:57. > :33:01.English football, Manchester United and current Premier League
:33:01. > :33:05.champions, Manchester City. So it is no surprise that tens of
:33:05. > :33:10.thousands of fans have flocked to Old Trafford here today to see what
:33:10. > :33:15.will become the first time that Britain has been represented in the
:33:15. > :33:19.men's' ball competition for over half a century. 1960 was the last
:33:19. > :33:22.time that Team GB took part in that competition. For the first time
:33:22. > :33:26.that will be repeated here this evening and people who are based
:33:26. > :33:29.here in the north-west of the country are taking the opportunity
:33:29. > :33:33.to experience the Olympic atmosphere here this evening. There
:33:33. > :33:38.is a good crowd already inside the stadium for the match currently
:33:38. > :33:41.ongoing between the UAE and Uruguay and then Team GB will play Senegal
:33:41. > :33:45.later on this evening. It is an opportunity of course for Stuart
:33:45. > :33:49.Pearce and his squad to try to win over some of the hearts and minds
:33:49. > :33:53.of what has been a somewhat sceptical public. Many sports fans
:33:53. > :33:56.up and down the country don't know quite what to make of the
:33:56. > :34:00.millionaire professional Premier League stars being part of these
:34:00. > :34:05.Olympic Games and the build-up hasn't been without difficulty.
:34:05. > :34:08.There was the controversy over the emission of David Beckham. And the
:34:08. > :34:12.fact that the FAs of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland didn't
:34:12. > :34:17.want their players to be part of this and then one of the bigger
:34:17. > :34:21.stars potentially for Stuart Pearce, Gareth Bale who plays of course for
:34:21. > :34:26.Wales ruled himself out through injury and two days ago he was on
:34:26. > :34:35.tour with his club Spurs and scored a go. That was embarrassing for
:34:35. > :34:41.Team GB. -- scored a goal. Team GB are trying to play that down. But
:34:41. > :34:45.today's game is a sellout. It is a chance for Ryan Giggs to lay down a
:34:45. > :34:49.marker, he is the Captain, and to try to capture the public's
:34:49. > :34:57.imagination. The torch, as you might have caught
:34:57. > :35:01.from that still winding its way through London. You are watching a
:35:01. > :35:05.BBC News Special and the torch will be arriving here at Buckingham
:35:05. > :35:08.Palace in less than an hour. So much talk as we have already
:35:09. > :35:13.reflected on the stories of the torchbearers. Let's talk to another
:35:13. > :35:17.young man who you may be familiar with, if you have been following
:35:17. > :35:23.this whole story of the torch relay, Alexandros Loukos is here tonight.
:35:23. > :35:26.Hello again. Yes. Because you and I met, it feels like a long time ago
:35:26. > :35:29.in ancient Olympia in beautiful sunny Greece for the lighting of
:35:29. > :35:33.the Olympic flame and you were right at the start at the heart of
:35:33. > :35:42.this and now it's almost upon us. How are you feeming with just 24
:35:42. > :35:45.hours to go? It's true. -- how are you feeling? It is true. I'm very
:35:45. > :35:49.excited. I was involved since the bid seven years ago. It was strange
:35:49. > :35:52.to think that so many thousands of people have run with the torch
:35:52. > :35:57.after myself and only last week I saw it outside of my house. The
:35:57. > :36:01.journey has been incredible. you mentioned winning the bid. You
:36:01. > :36:06.were in Singapore, I think, when that bid announcement came through
:36:06. > :36:09.so you truly have been involved with London's Olympic bid from an
:36:09. > :36:14.early stage. Yet I look at you again, you are a lot younger than
:36:14. > :36:18.me. How does someone so young feel so passionate about it from an
:36:18. > :36:21.early age? It is something we have grown up with, especially living in
:36:21. > :36:25.the Olympic borough. I have been involved with it since I was 11.
:36:25. > :36:29.I'm 20 now it. Has been a long time. It is something we have anticipated
:36:29. > :36:33.and are excited Bit is very, very close to being here. -- excited
:36:33. > :36:40.about. People of your age, your borough, you are born and bred east
:36:40. > :36:43.London, I think. Are they genuinely excited about the Olympics? We hear
:36:44. > :36:48.about cynicism. Do you experience that or is it, you know what, it is
:36:48. > :36:51.in our hood. It is for us. wouldn't go as far as saying "our
:36:51. > :36:55.hood" but events in the last few weeks have proved the doubters
:36:55. > :36:59.wrong. You only have to look at how many are turning up to see the
:36:59. > :37:03.torch and relay and in my home borough of Newham, the thousands of
:37:03. > :37:09.people who were in Central Park to see the torch there. I don't think
:37:09. > :37:14.people can Ceylon doneers are not looking forward to it no more --
:37:14. > :37:19.people can say Londoners are not looking forward to it when so many
:37:19. > :37:22.people are turning up. Are you surprised by the figures. We have
:37:22. > :37:26.not seen the official figures as to the numbers out on the streets
:37:26. > :37:29.today but it is clearly many thousands? Yes, many thousands. I'm
:37:29. > :37:33.not surprised so many people have come out. That's what the Olympics
:37:34. > :37:39.is all about to be honest with you. It is about everybody coming
:37:39. > :37:41.together. It is nice to see so many people out and supporting the one
:37:41. > :37:44.cause. Well Alexandros Loukos thank you very much. Lovely to talk to
:37:44. > :37:49.you again. What is your role during the Olympics? Do you have a
:37:49. > :37:53.specific role or is it about watching it and enjoying it? I know
:37:53. > :37:56.me and the Singapore Youth Ambassadors are going to the youth
:37:56. > :38:00.ceremony tomorrow and we are going to be involved in other events.
:38:00. > :38:05.Enjoy the two-and-a-half weeks. Good to see you again. Alexandros
:38:05. > :38:09.Loukos there, who has been involved from a very early stage. Let's
:38:09. > :38:14.assess again, and see whether my knowledge of the geography of
:38:14. > :38:18.London is sufficient that I can work out where it is. It has been
:38:18. > :38:24.down Regent's Street. I'm trying to work out where it might be pushing
:38:24. > :38:28.through to now. It is coming down Charring Cross
:38:28. > :38:33.Road and the torch now being carried by Charles Sale a marathon
:38:33. > :38:37.runner. He has been nominated. Well there is a story behind everyone.
:38:37. > :38:41.He has been nominated because he used to carry rather more weight
:38:41. > :38:46.than he liked to. He was determined to get fit and lost five stone and
:38:46. > :38:56.became something of a marathon addict and is now so keen thieves
:38:56. > :38:57.
:38:57. > :39:03.nominated to run with the torch. And the kiss again, the familiar
:39:03. > :39:07.symbol that we have become used to. 69 days ago I don't think we knew
:39:07. > :39:11.what a kiss was in relation to the torch. But we certainly do now.
:39:11. > :39:16.Thousands of people out, look how many people taking - just as Bruce
:39:16. > :39:20.Forsyth said earlier, what did we do before we had phone that is took
:39:20. > :39:24.pictures? I don't think there is anyone without outstretched arms
:39:24. > :39:28.trying to capture that movement let's return to Philipa Thomas who
:39:28. > :39:31.was surrounded by a huge number of people out on the Mall to see the
:39:31. > :39:35.torch once it gets here to Buckingham Palace. What is
:39:35. > :39:39.happening where you are? It is all building up. Not so long to go now
:39:39. > :39:46.before the torch gets here. It will be the fourth royal residence the
:39:46. > :39:49.torch has gone through, it has gone to Windsor, Balmoral and
:39:49. > :39:55.Sandringham and now to Buckingham Palace. Among those queueing up we
:39:55. > :39:57.have found this family. Where are you from? From West Hampstead in
:39:57. > :40:03.north London. You are from north London and you are all very ready.
:40:03. > :40:08.Tell me how old you are and what your name is? I'm Alex and I'm six.
:40:08. > :40:14.Are you most excited about seeing the torch or about seeing the Royal
:40:14. > :40:22.Family? Well kind of both. Have you seen the torch before?
:40:22. > :40:26.Well, yes. No. This will be your chance to see
:40:26. > :40:30.the torch. You came to camp out and you are excited about both,
:40:30. > :40:35.presumably about seeing William, Kate and Harry as well. Yes. Have
:40:35. > :40:39.you been watching the torch at all? Seeing pictures of it as it goes
:40:39. > :40:44.around the country. Today we came across a runner and held the torch
:40:44. > :40:52.and took photos. So you have had up-close physical contact with the
:40:52. > :40:57.torch. Yes. Do you watch royal events? Were you watching Jubilee
:40:57. > :41:00.events? Yes we woke up every morning early and got the TV on and
:41:00. > :41:06.starting watching. This is a royal- watching family. You are so close
:41:06. > :41:10.to the gates, you are going get a good view, aren't you? Yes, I am so
:41:10. > :41:15.happy. Will you take lots of photos? I won't stop. It will be
:41:15. > :41:19.fun. It will be nice. I hope you all have a lovely time. I saw you
:41:19. > :41:23.sprucing everyone up for the camera. Enjoy your time. Just to say the
:41:23. > :41:30.torch will come in at this gai. Everybody here is in a great
:41:30. > :41:34.position to see the torch first come in: it will be carried by a
:41:34. > :41:38.bearer from a charity who deals with disaster aid and as it goes
:41:38. > :41:44.around it'll see William, Kate and Harry before leaving Buckingham
:41:44. > :41:49.Palace. Back to you. Lovely, how nice to get a cheer for all your
:41:49. > :41:54.work Philipa. Let's see whether Jon Brain has raise a cheer with the
:41:54. > :41:58.crowds in Trafalgar Square. Jon, your attempt? Perfect timing. I
:41:58. > :42:04.hope you can hear me over the BBC helicopter. But here is the torch
:42:04. > :42:08.arriving in the heart of London, Trafalgar Square, in front of the
:42:08. > :42:14.National Gallery and that's 15- year-old Patrick Kane, who has the
:42:14. > :42:18.honour of carrying it... PROBLEMS WITH SOUND
:42:18. > :42:22.Oh, I do apologise, I think we are clearly having a few problems with
:42:22. > :42:25.the sound from Jon Brain but as he was suggesting incredibly noisy
:42:26. > :42:32.there. He was starting to tell us about the young man carrying the
:42:32. > :42:40.torch at the moment. As he said, just 15 years' old. His is a
:42:40. > :42:42.remarkable story. He lost his right leg at a very young age. He
:42:42. > :42:48.contracted meningococcal septicaemia before he was even one.
:42:48. > :42:52.He had a whole series of operations. He had to have his right leg
:42:52. > :42:57.amputated below the knee and also lost a number of fingers. A truly
:42:57. > :43:02.inspirational young man. In fact, I believe, oh Jon is back with us.
:43:02. > :43:06.But we were just reflecting on the remarkable nature of this young boy
:43:06. > :43:11.and what he has had to put up with in his life but has achieved so
:43:11. > :43:16.much in spite of him being the youngest person to be fitted with
:43:16. > :43:19.prosthetics? Hello, Jane, yes. He is an
:43:19. > :43:25.extraordinary story. He had meningitis as a child and had to
:43:25. > :43:28.have a leg amputated and most of his right hand. He survived the
:43:28. > :43:34.meningitis and has been fitted with the world's most advanced bionic
:43:34. > :43:37.hand. He calls himself the Bionic Boy. He has been chosen to carry
:43:37. > :43:43.the torch because he is someone who people say has never been defined
:43:43. > :43:47.by his disability. He has always managed to rise above it. Really
:43:47. > :43:52.cheerful. You can see him smiling away there as he totally takes part
:43:52. > :43:57.in the whole range of life and its activities. He is said to be a real
:43:58. > :44:01.inspiration to other people. Here he goes, he is walking threw the
:44:01. > :44:08.huge crowds which have built up, as they have all over the country to
:44:08. > :44:10.see the arrival of the torch, getting applauded as he walks down
:44:10. > :44:15.through Trafalgar Square, heading down Downing Street. He will be
:44:15. > :44:24.handing the torch over to Kate Nesbitt a servicewoman who won an
:44:24. > :44:30.award for bravery for her actions in 2009. It is a remarkable story,
:44:30. > :44:35.like so many people 9 torchbearers. It is not just about celebrities
:44:35. > :44:41.and sports stars. So many of them aren't very well known outside
:44:41. > :44:43.their own communities, but very special nonetheless. Well that's it
:44:43. > :44:49.from Trafalgar Square. Now the torch is heading back your way and
:44:49. > :44:52.towards Downing Street. Yes, making its way back here eventually to
:44:52. > :44:58.Buckingham Palace. What a fabulous shot from the helicopter. It might
:44:58. > :45:02.be noisy but I think the shots are worth it. What a stunning scene
:45:02. > :45:07.when you look down on Trafalgar Square, Nelson's Column and the
:45:07. > :45:10.National Gallery and see the sea of people who are out in the beautiful,
:45:10. > :45:14.beautiful London sunshine, gradually making its way to buck
:45:14. > :45:19.become Palace. It will be here after 6 owe clkpm. It is also going
:45:20. > :45:22.to -- 6 owe clkpm. It is also going to Number Ten Downing Street. Let's
:45:22. > :45:32.head over to Carole Walker. I cannot get a sense of how many
:45:32. > :45:37.people are out where you are. But It is untourbl find a scene like
:45:37. > :45:41.this. We've -- unusual to find a scene like this. We have several
:45:41. > :45:47.hundred children here from local schools. David Cameron is talking
:45:47. > :45:51.to the school children. He's getting an awful lot of cheers and
:45:52. > :45:57.applause - something which has been unusual over the last few days. All
:45:57. > :46:00.the concerns about the safety, the transport, the weather and so on
:46:00. > :46:06.for the Olympic Games. But he's out here now, talking to some of the
:46:06. > :46:12.children who are here, with their parents, with their teachers, with
:46:12. > :46:18.the Olympic Torch due to arrive here in the next 10-15 minutes. As
:46:18. > :46:22.you heard there it will be Kate Nesbit bringing the torch into
:46:22. > :46:28.Downing Street. She is the second woman in the military ever to have
:46:28. > :46:33.won the Military Cross. She was out in Afghanistan, she was with a unit
:46:33. > :46:40.which came under fire and she braved the bullets, literally, to
:46:40. > :46:45.save the life of one of her colleagues who was Lance Corporal
:46:45. > :46:49.List, who had been shot in the neck and undoubtedly saved his life.
:46:49. > :46:54.David Cameron met her at a reception and decided that it
:46:54. > :46:58.should be she who brought the flame here into Downing Street. There is
:46:58. > :47:02.really an extraordinary sense of occasion here, as we have these
:47:02. > :47:05.children here. Usually Downing Street is a very restricted zone.
:47:06. > :47:11.Very few people are allowed up to the front door. There are hundreds
:47:11. > :47:16.of school children, crowded in here, waiting for the big moment. David
:47:16. > :47:19.Cameron is here. Samantha Cameron is there, alongside him, talking to
:47:19. > :47:27.some of the children who are lucky enough to have been brought here
:47:27. > :47:33.today. I should say, amongst the school children here is Logan
:47:33. > :47:37.Macarrow, he is the young boy, only five years old, who made a replica
:47:37. > :47:42.torch, as many of these school children have and when he heard
:47:42. > :47:46.that some of the people who had held the real torch were selling
:47:46. > :47:52.their on eBay for profit, he decided to do the same with his
:47:52. > :47:57.replica and he has in fact raised over �15,000 for a charity for deaf
:47:57. > :48:01.children. So an extraordinary feat for someone just five years old. He
:48:01. > :48:06.is somewhere among the children. Some have been into the rose garden
:48:06. > :48:10.at Number Ten. They have had squash, biscuits and sandwiches, after
:48:10. > :48:20.their journey here. They are awaiting the arrival of theor nch
:48:20. > :48:21.
:48:21. > :48:25.the next 10-15 minutes. -- the torch within the next 10-15 minutes.
:48:25. > :48:31.No politicians are allowed to touch the torch, but he will be there to
:48:31. > :48:35.see it as it nears the end of this extraordinary journey. Many thanks
:48:35. > :48:40.for now. I have a feeling, looking at our images from our helicopter,
:48:40. > :48:44.it may be closer to you in Downing Street than perhaps you realise,
:48:44. > :48:50.but, it's always a tricky judgment call. There have been periods where
:48:50. > :48:56.the torch has been travelling more slowly than the organisers might
:48:56. > :49:00.like, and then it speeds up again. The point there made that
:49:00. > :49:08.politicians absolutely not allowed to carry the torch. They are one
:49:08. > :49:12.group of people who are not allowed to. We have seen a lot of sebreb
:49:12. > :49:16.Brittys today. A -- celebrities today.
:49:16. > :49:22.Most people have been members of the public, chosen for their
:49:22. > :49:28.special contribution to their community.
:49:28. > :49:31.David Miller, the IOC historian still watching these remarkable
:49:31. > :49:35.images with us tonight as it approaches Downing Street and then
:49:35. > :49:41.will make its way here to Buckingham Palace. Earlier you were
:49:41. > :49:45.reflecting on, as we all have, the remarkable turnout. Is it possible
:49:45. > :49:50.to assess whether it's better than perhaps the organisers might have
:49:50. > :49:56.hoped? Do they give any sense of what the expectation is before the
:49:56. > :50:04.torch relay actually gets under way? Are they reluctant to put
:50:04. > :50:10.figures on it perhaps? It has exceeded everything. We are a world
:50:10. > :50:14.nowadays of superstars and celebrities and it seems only the
:50:14. > :50:17.important people feature in news items and so on. This has brought
:50:17. > :50:21.out the anonymous. There was one particular girl and I don't
:50:21. > :50:25.remember her name, who said "I don't know where I am. I am
:50:25. > :50:32.surrounded by thousands of people and about to have the best day of
:50:32. > :50:36.my life." So, then besides the injured, the maimed, the poor souls
:50:36. > :50:40.who have given everything in Afghanistan and come back and still
:50:40. > :50:46.want to run a leg to show their courage, their determination, you
:50:46. > :50:51.have had elderly people. There was a lady of 90 who said "You just
:50:51. > :50:55.have to keep at it." It has revealed, I think, so much about
:50:55. > :51:03.the British nature and British character. There was the great
:51:03. > :51:07.uncle of Chris Hoy, who is 95. Perhaps we will talk in a moment
:51:07. > :51:12.more. Let's return now to Downing Street.
:51:12. > :51:16.Kate Nesbit with the torch making her way along. Carole Walker, our
:51:16. > :51:22.political correspondent there, as you were reflecting, this is a
:51:22. > :51:26.scene we don't normally witness outside Number Ten. Extraordinary,
:51:26. > :51:33.as all the school children, their parents, teachers, here in Downing
:51:33. > :51:39.Street a plaud Kate arriving with the torch -- applauding Kate
:51:39. > :51:43.arriving the torch. Meeting David Cameron, talking to him there.
:51:43. > :51:47.Samantha Cameron is there. Kate Nesbit was chosen by the Prime
:51:47. > :51:53.Minister as the person who should have the honour of bringing the
:51:53. > :51:58.torch into Downing Street. They are having a quick chat here. They are
:51:58. > :52:05.having a quick word. It is worth noting that the Prime Minister
:52:05. > :52:09.himself is not going to be touching that torch. It is forbidden for
:52:09. > :52:14.politicians to get their hand on it. However, she is there, out on the
:52:14. > :52:19.streets, on the steps of Downing Street w the Prime Minister,
:52:19. > :52:25.Samantha Cameron and, yes, Downing Street is usually a secure zone. Of
:52:25. > :52:30.course people do visit, politicians visit, visiting heads of state,
:52:30. > :52:36.diplomats, but it is very rare to see so many people here, in this
:52:36. > :52:39.glorious sunshine, which we have been reflecting on, as the torch
:52:40. > :52:43.nears the end of this epic journey. All the children here have had
:52:43. > :52:48.their own Olympic projects. They have all got involved in one way or
:52:48. > :52:53.another. Many have raised money for charity. There we go, the Prime
:52:53. > :52:57.Minister is waving for the cameras. An extraordinary sense of
:52:57. > :53:00.achievement. I am sure the Prime Minister will hope that after all
:53:01. > :53:05.the concerns there have been, all the negative stories about the
:53:05. > :53:08.preparations for the Olympics, the concerns about the security, the
:53:08. > :53:13.need to call up extra troops, the concerns about the transport and
:53:13. > :53:22.how difficult it might be to get around, the concerns about... There
:53:22. > :53:30.we have the kiss, as they call it. The torch is about to be handed to
:53:30. > :53:35.Florence Roe, who is 81 years old. As I was saying, David Cameron will
:53:35. > :53:42.be hoping that the extraordinary mood of excitement and optimism
:53:42. > :53:46.will now be maintained in the final preparations before the big opening
:53:46. > :53:50.ceremony tomorrow night. Of course, it is important, not
:53:50. > :53:55.just for the nation, but for the Government, that these Games are a
:53:55. > :54:01.success. He made the point today that previous Governments had a big
:54:01. > :54:11.hand in bringing the Olympics to London. There we have it. That is
:54:11. > :54:13.
:54:13. > :54:17.81-year-old Florence Roe. She was 18 years old when the 1948 Olympic
:54:17. > :54:24.Games were held here in London and remembers the excitement.
:54:24. > :54:29.She remembers the excitement of coming along to see the Games.
:54:29. > :54:35.She's a huge sports fan, a supporter of Wycombe Wanderers.
:54:35. > :54:39.Extraordinary to see, as you have been reflecting, the variety of,
:54:39. > :54:46.the 8,000, as there will be by the end of the journey, who have had
:54:47. > :54:52.the honour of carrying the Olympic Torch on this 8,000-mile journey.
:54:52. > :54:56.By yesterday evening, it was estimated that 12.5 million people
:54:56. > :55:01.had actually seen the torch somewhere along the journey.
:55:01. > :55:05.I think, at the beginning there was scepticism that people would
:55:05. > :55:10.maintain their interest over this long journey around the country,
:55:10. > :55:13.but it is extraordinary how different communities, towns,
:55:13. > :55:18.villages, cities, throughout all the communitys have come out to see
:55:18. > :55:23.the torch. I think we have hoping that the Prime Minister is going to
:55:23. > :55:33.talk to us shortly. We hope that Kate, who had the honour of
:55:33. > :55:33.
:55:33. > :55:40.bringing the torch up into Downing Street, will be with us shortly.
:55:40. > :55:44.Thank you. A very quick final thought from David Miller, our
:55:44. > :55:49.historian, because you yourself were nominated to carry the torch,
:55:49. > :55:54.but you gave that honour to somebody else. I thought better
:55:54. > :56:00.than a Gerry yachtic old guy it would be more appropriate to have
:56:00. > :56:10.someone young and aspirational so I donated it to the City of Norwich
:56:10. > :56:11.
:56:11. > :56:20.School. They choose a lovely young girl, Catherine Shayler. She ran in
:56:20. > :56:25.Felixstowe, a small town in East Anglia, received the torch from
:56:25. > :56:31.Adrian Moorhouse. The street was packed, wall-to-wall. She set off,
:56:31. > :56:38.carrying this flame as though she was off to see The Wizard of Oz. It
:56:38. > :56:43.was such a dramatic, lovely moment. I think it personifyed everything
:56:43. > :56:47.that is best about the relay. David Miller, a lovely thought on
:56:47. > :56:55.which to close our special coverage here tonight. Many thanks for being
:56:55. > :56:58.with us. The IOC historian and the flame getting closer and closer to
:56:58. > :57:03.Buckingham Palace, on a really quite stunning day for London. That
:57:03. > :57:10.is just about it from this BBC News Special, on the last full day of
:57:10. > :57:14.course of the torch relay around the UK. 8,000 miles, very nearly
:57:14. > :57:18.8,000 torchbearers, to all corners of the nation. The Olympic flame
:57:18. > :57:23.has lit up the lives of millions of people. From here, at Buckingham
:57:23. > :57:27.Palace tonight, we will leave you with just a few of the memorable
:57:27. > :57:37.images of its journey. Continuing coverage all night on BBC News.
:57:37. > :58:08.