:00:09. > :00:14.It has taken over seven years, but in just a few hours, the 2012
:00:14. > :00:17.Olympics will finally get under way. This is the scene live inside the
:00:17. > :00:24.Olympic Park as the final touches are being made to the opening
:00:24. > :00:28.ceremony. So much of our history has led us to this moment, and I do
:00:28. > :00:35.think that really what I suppose I hope we are able to say to the
:00:35. > :00:39.world is that when our time came, we did it right. 65,000 people are
:00:40. > :00:46.arriving for what is promised to be a spectacular evening. It is
:00:46. > :00:53.absolutely fantastic. Everyone will love it. It is so excited. --
:00:53. > :00:59.exciting. This morning at 8:12am, bells rang out across the UK in the
:01:00. > :01:04.countdown to the opening of the Games. The Olympic Torch completed
:01:04. > :01:11.its 8,000 mile journey around the United Kingdom on the royal barge
:01:11. > :01:18.up the Thames. VIPs and celebrities around the world are converging on
:01:18. > :01:28.the capital as all eyes turn to London. Later on the BBC News
:01:28. > :01:45.
:01:45. > :01:49.Channel we will have all the news Good evening, welcome to BBC News
:01:49. > :01:55.at six. This is said. In a few hours' time, the 2012 Olympics will
:01:55. > :01:59.get under way. Up to a billion people are expected to be watching
:02:00. > :02:03.the opening ceremony, promised to be a spectacular show. This is the
:02:03. > :02:08.scene in Olympic Park, where the public are pouring in to take their
:02:08. > :02:14.seats for the ceremony. This morning, the chimes of Big Ben led
:02:14. > :02:18.the way as thousands of bells rang out across Britain. After 70 days
:02:18. > :02:22.travelling across the UK, the Olympic flame made its way up the
:02:22. > :02:26.River Thames, through Hampton Court into Tower Bridge, on its way to
:02:27. > :02:33.the final destination, the cauldron inside the stadium. We will have
:02:33. > :02:37.the latest, but first we report on the preparations. The hottest
:02:37. > :02:43.tickets in town, one of the biggest events in their country's breeze in
:02:43. > :02:51.history, and they will be there. got to London and everybody is
:02:51. > :03:01.smiling. Absolutely fantastic. 1,000%, brilliant. Been looking
:03:01. > :03:06.forward to it for so long. It seems unreal. All over the country,
:03:06. > :03:12.others joined in, ringing bells at 8:12am, among them, the Culture
:03:12. > :03:22.Secretary, Jeremy Hunt. When things do not got according to plan,
:03:22. > :03:23.
:03:23. > :03:29.London will cope. The Red Arrows travelled across the UK. This was
:03:29. > :03:35.Edinburgh. Some of the first to arrive in the Olympic Park,
:03:35. > :03:40.performers in the opening ceremony. The games are inspiring a
:03:40. > :03:48.generation, expect a significant contribution from some of our
:03:48. > :03:53.We have only been given a little flavour of what is in the opening
:03:53. > :03:59.ceremony, and are told to expect something with a very British Field.
:03:59. > :04:04.Looking forward to it. Whatever comes our way, comes our way. It is
:04:04. > :04:09.light and it is a one-time event. I will never do one again. It is
:04:09. > :04:14.extraordinary. One man has led the way through the past seven years,
:04:14. > :04:20.and is best placed to put the importance of tonight in context.
:04:20. > :04:25.do not want to overstated, we live in a country that has shared some
:04:25. > :04:32.of the most historic moments with the world. I do think that so much
:04:32. > :04:38.of her history has led us to this moment, and what I hope we are able
:04:38. > :04:42.to say to the world is when our time came, we did it right. London
:04:42. > :04:48.is looking its best. A man described by some as its best
:04:48. > :04:52.looking is in town, ready to play a role in tonight's ceremony. London
:04:52. > :04:56.always looks great, but I think the excitement building through the
:04:56. > :05:00.city is incredible. To have an Olympic Games in London is amazing
:05:00. > :05:09.but the habit in the park Iraq Rupp, I am very proud to have been a part
:05:09. > :05:13.of that. -- in the area I grew up in. The next two weeks, venues will
:05:13. > :05:17.have Olympic moments. Heroes will be created, favourites will be
:05:17. > :05:24.beaten. It is called the Greatest Show On Earth, it is in London, and
:05:24. > :05:28.it is about to begin. Our sports editor is inside the Olympic
:05:28. > :05:34.Stadium. Two hours to go, what can you tell us about what is
:05:34. > :05:39.happening? We cannot show you the field of play, but you can probably
:05:39. > :05:43.see just a hint of it. The centre of the stadium has been transformed
:05:43. > :05:48.into a rolling green rural landscape, which will provide the
:05:48. > :05:52.starting point for Danny Boyle's Isles of Wonder opening ceremony. A
:05:52. > :05:58.lot of the details have been released. They have been released
:05:58. > :06:02.by LOCOG and Danny Boyle. But he is promising there will be plenty of
:06:02. > :06:08.surprises, including the big one, who will like a cauldron after
:06:08. > :06:15.midnight. Where will it be in the stadium? How will it be done?
:06:15. > :06:18.Clearly there is a lot at stake. �27 million has been spent on this.
:06:18. > :06:25.15,000 workers involved, and a global audience of up to 1 billion
:06:25. > :06:29.people. It is not just about the tone that it will set for the Games,
:06:29. > :06:38.it is also about sending a message about the sort of country that
:06:38. > :06:43.Britain is. We will be coming back to you later. Much of this part of
:06:43. > :06:51.London has been transformed by the Olympics, and many of the local
:06:51. > :06:55.people including schoolchildren are starring in the ceremony. Mrs
:06:55. > :07:00.Stratford station, until now, another stop on the tube. From
:07:00. > :07:08.tonight, this is where the world is arriving for the Olympic Games. The
:07:09. > :07:14.community around here finds itself in the spotlight like never before.
:07:14. > :07:22.An Olympic wake up call for this each year-old girl. It is a day she
:07:22. > :07:27.will never forget. -- 8-year-old girl. Tonight, she will perform in
:07:27. > :07:35.front of billions but she is giving nothing away. What will you be
:07:35. > :07:39.wearing? I am not allowed to tell you. That is the stadium over there.
:07:39. > :07:45.From her tower-block, she has grown up watching the Olympic Park rock.
:07:45. > :07:55.Tonight, she will be performing inside. What feelings will you
:07:55. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:01.have? Exciting. I'm going to be really nervous. I feel so proud. My
:08:01. > :08:08.doctor is involved, she is joining in. I am very proud of being her
:08:08. > :08:13.mother. Has she told you much about the show? Nothing. This part of
:08:13. > :08:21.London has been taken over by the Games. We found South Korean
:08:21. > :08:27.cyclist training on the North Circular. Perfect for them, but
:08:27. > :08:31.surrounded by extra traffic and security, not everyone is so keen.
:08:31. > :08:38.How many people from this area will be sitting in the front seats?
:08:38. > :08:44.There won't be any and that is what is wrong. Fed up with the Olympics.
:08:44. > :08:49.It hasn't even started. Remember this? London. The London team took
:08:49. > :08:53.30 local school children with them when they won the Olympics. Among
:08:53. > :08:59.them was this 15-year-old. I am really proud of it. I am also
:08:59. > :09:05.really humble. It has changed a massive amount. She cannot believe
:09:05. > :09:12.how much her neighbourhood has transformed. I was a part of that.
:09:12. > :09:16.I didn't build that, but I helped place that. It is amazing. It puts
:09:16. > :09:20.this area are on the map. People know where Stratford is. It is
:09:20. > :09:28.where the Olympics is going to be. This afternoon, she was back among
:09:28. > :09:32.the big wigs for the end of the torch relay. The countdown is over,
:09:32. > :09:41.after the stadium for their big moment. Will she spill the beans?
:09:41. > :09:46.am not going to tell you. Just one thing? No. Very soon, after months
:09:46. > :09:52.of rehearsals, the whole riled -- the whole world will know her
:09:52. > :10:02.secret. I told you the world was arriving, these people have turned
:10:02. > :10:05.up from Thailand. They are ahead of the crowd, the mothers of the
:10:05. > :10:12.children will find out what she is doing in the opening ceremony when
:10:12. > :10:15.they watch it on TV. In a few hours' time, the Olympic Torch will
:10:15. > :10:20.reach its final destination at the Olympic Stadium for the opening
:10:20. > :10:24.ceremony. Since it has arrived in Britain, 70 days ago, it has
:10:24. > :10:27.travelled the length and breadth of land. Our reporter has been with
:10:27. > :10:31.that every step of the way and he reports on the final day as it was
:10:31. > :10:36.carried down the river Thames. The twists and turns of this nationwide
:10:36. > :10:42.journey are virtually complete. The Olympic flame leaving dry land by
:10:42. > :10:50.Hampton Court's famous maze. It is following the currents that once
:10:50. > :11:00.carried Henry VIII to his capital. Matthew Pinsent dance his way to
:11:00. > :11:06.Gloriana, the rowing barge. There was a fiery cauldron in her by her.
:11:06. > :11:12.Olympians spanning six decades world rowing her. It included 90-
:11:13. > :11:22.year-old Olympians who were involved in the 1948 games. Behind
:11:23. > :11:25.
:11:25. > :11:31.her work boards dating back to the 1800s. -- craft dating back.
:11:31. > :11:41.In all, 90 boats represented the Thames rowing tradition -- the
:11:41. > :11:44.
:11:44. > :11:49.Thames rowing tradition. It is an honour, a fantastic honour to be
:11:49. > :11:56.part of it. Carrying the flame, back into London, going to the
:11:56. > :12:03.stadium, it is fantastic. On the board racecourse, young roars from
:12:03. > :12:07.clubs across the capital joined-up recession. In Fulham and Putney,
:12:07. > :12:13.communities lined the road -- line the edge to urge them on. Now the
:12:13. > :12:20.urban landscape of central London, loftier vantage points on offer.
:12:20. > :12:25.Under the famous bridges to the famous seat of government. In a way,
:12:25. > :12:28.the torch was a production with a bake -- with a great cast. Now the
:12:28. > :12:37.finale, and at chance for the people on the bridges to cleanse
:12:37. > :12:42.the flame. The down river at Tower Bridge, the River Thames had become
:12:42. > :12:49.an arena, populated by Londoners and visitors. Being with the crowds
:12:49. > :12:56.and the people, it is really exciting. Travelled a long way, to
:12:56. > :13:03.be in London. Below them, the Tory that has -- the story that has that
:13:03. > :13:11.so many was trying to a close. It is just a curtain raiser for the
:13:11. > :13:14.main event. Tony Blair was Prime Minister when London secured Ian --
:13:14. > :13:20.secured the Olympic Games. Seven years later, what are your
:13:20. > :13:25.thoughts? It is unbelievably exciting, the dream we had seven
:13:25. > :13:29.years ago has turned into reality, and it is just marvellous to see
:13:29. > :13:35.what a fantastic opportunity it is for the country to showcase itself
:13:35. > :13:40.as only Britain can. Tonight's celebration is to be a joyous
:13:40. > :13:44.celebration, but also say something important about Britain. What do
:13:44. > :13:47.you think it should be? I think this is really important, because
:13:47. > :13:52.many countries have put on the Olympics and will put on the
:13:52. > :13:56.Olympics, but I think tonight people will see that only Britain
:13:56. > :14:00.can put on the Olympics in quite this way with quite the style, and
:14:00. > :14:05.I think you will see through that very traditional British reserve,
:14:05. > :14:10.very real but his passion, and I think we will show how we can raise
:14:10. > :14:16.the roof as well as raise an eyebrow. -- British passion. There
:14:16. > :14:19.will be something unique about this occasion, it will combine at the
:14:19. > :14:23.Olympic spirit with British spirit. I am looking forward to it and
:14:24. > :14:27.incredibly proud of my country today. This is seven years in the
:14:27. > :14:32.making, putting the whole thing together and putting it on.
:14:32. > :14:37.Travelling around London today, you can see this extraordinary
:14:37. > :14:43.atmosphere, there is an immense sense of national pride, what we
:14:43. > :14:49.can show the world. When Britain won the Olympics, the legacy was a
:14:49. > :14:53.large part of the pitch. What will that be? The legacy has to be not
:14:53. > :14:58.just in bricks-and-mortar, I hope and believe it will be a renewed
:14:58. > :15:05.emphasis on the importance of sport. Sport is a mainstream part of what
:15:06. > :15:09.we should do, it is great for her health, education, preventing crime,
:15:09. > :15:16.teaching young people a sense of part of it -- a sense of
:15:16. > :15:21.partnership, social responsibility. It has a unique place in people's
:15:21. > :15:25.affections, and its ability to change things. I hope we make sure
:15:25. > :15:31.this Olympic Legacy, and I believe we will, it is not just about great
:15:31. > :15:40.facilities and memories, it continues to change the way we are
:15:40. > :15:46.More on the Olympics in a moment, but first the other news of the day.
:15:46. > :15:50.Kiaran Stapleton, the man who murdered Anuj Bidve, has been
:15:50. > :15:53.jailed for 30 years. He shot the student in the head at point-blank
:15:53. > :15:56.range on Boxing Day last year. He was convicted of murder at
:15:56. > :16:00.Manchester Crown Court yesterday. Barclays has made a half-year
:16:00. > :16:04.profit of more than �4 billion despite the recent turbulent times
:16:04. > :16:12.for the bank. Last week it received a record fine for trying to
:16:12. > :16:13.manipulate the lending rate between banks and is now subject to a new
:16:13. > :16:20.investigation by the Financial Services Authority.
:16:20. > :16:26.John Terry has been charged by the Football Association of using
:16:26. > :16:29.abusive abrasive language towards Anton Ferdinand. -- and racist
:16:29. > :16:35.language. He was found not guilty of using racial abuse following a
:16:35. > :16:39.police investigation earlier this month.
:16:39. > :16:42.General Robert Mood has said that it is only a matter of time before
:16:42. > :16:48.the Government of President Assad balls in Syria. His comments came
:16:48. > :16:51.after a pro-government newspaper warned that a major battle was
:16:51. > :16:57.about to start in a Aleppo because Government forces are planning a
:16:57. > :17:01.counter attack against rebels. Unemployment in Spain is at its
:17:01. > :17:08.highest level for 30 years. One in four of the working-age population,
:17:08. > :17:11.at 6 million, according to figures out today. Spain may require a full
:17:11. > :17:16.bail out of its Government in addition to the financial aid
:17:16. > :17:20.already given to the banks. A man who joked on Twitter about
:17:20. > :17:23.blowing up Doncaster airport because of disruption to his travel
:17:23. > :17:27.plans has had his conviction overturned at the High Court. Paul
:17:27. > :17:32.Chambers was found guilty of sending a menacing message in
:17:32. > :17:37.January, 2010. Innocent at last. On the left, the
:17:37. > :17:45.man whose joke about blowing up an airport cost in two jobs and landed
:17:45. > :17:50.him a criminal record. We won. He is cleared! How do you feel?
:17:50. > :17:54.Relieved, vindicated. It is ridiculous that it got this far.
:17:54. > :17:59.has had the backing of thousands on Twitter and famous faces like the
:17:59. > :18:02.comedian Al Murray, who said it was about free speech. Paul was just
:18:02. > :18:08.doing what we all do, which is say something in the heat of the moment
:18:08. > :18:13.that did not mean anything and was an expression of frustration. The
:18:13. > :18:16.absurdity of it! In 2010, Paul Chambers was about to fly to
:18:16. > :18:21.Northern Ireland when he discovered that flights from Doncaster's Robin
:18:21. > :18:27.Hood Airport had been cancelled due to bad weather. This is what he
:18:27. > :18:32.tweeted to 600 followers. His lawyers said the swear words and
:18:32. > :18:36.exclamation points only reinforced the fact that it was a joke.
:18:36. > :18:41.Prosecutors said it was a menacing message and until today the courts
:18:41. > :18:45.agreed. After two-and-a-half years and consideration by nine different
:18:45. > :18:50.judges and magistrates, Paul Chambers is eventually cleared. The
:18:50. > :18:54.question is, why was he ever prosecuted in the first place? The
:18:54. > :19:03.answer, say prosecutors, is the law with regard to Twitter was not
:19:03. > :19:08.clear enough. After today's judgment, it now is.
:19:08. > :19:11.Our top story tonight: Just hours to go until the opening ceremony
:19:11. > :19:14.get under way behind me. It has promised to be a spectacular
:19:14. > :19:21.evening. VIPs from across the world gather
:19:21. > :19:25.as all eyes turn to London. And later on the BBC News Channel,
:19:25. > :19:35.we will have all the action and news from the Olympics. And the
:19:35. > :19:42.
:19:42. > :19:46.The opening ceremony is still a couple of hours away but already
:19:46. > :19:51.world records have started tumbling. The first went to South Korea's Im
:19:51. > :19:57.Dong-Hyun, who is partially sighted, when he broke his own individual
:19:57. > :20:02.record in the men's archery. The home of cricket for the first Test
:20:02. > :20:05.between bow and arrow. And indeed the first Test of an Olympic sport
:20:05. > :20:09.in London. The preliminary round of archery, a major attraction for
:20:09. > :20:13.those that love the sport. And there they were, left outside. Over
:20:13. > :20:18.the morning, hundreds arrived hoping to watch, but they could not.
:20:18. > :20:23.This event was widely advertised as unticketed. Don Gibson's family
:20:23. > :20:27.came from Oregon, USA, thinking that was an invitation. I thought
:20:27. > :20:32.it was free to the public. Every day for people to come in, get a
:20:32. > :20:36.feel for it, get a sense of what it is like. It sounded like a generous
:20:36. > :20:42.gesture. How do you feel to be out here not being able to get in?
:20:42. > :20:46.sort of words am I allowed to use on the BBC? I am not happy about it.
:20:46. > :20:49.He was not alone. LOCOG had to explain that tickets were never
:20:49. > :20:53.offered for Friday's archery and in that case, it meant today was
:20:53. > :20:57.closed. At least the cameras captured something extraordinary.
:20:57. > :21:00.South Korea's men set a new standard for accuracy, with Im
:21:01. > :21:05.Dong-Hyun making the highest individual score ever. But his
:21:05. > :21:08.eyesight is so bad he can barely see the target. That can actually
:21:08. > :21:12.play to his advantage. You perhaps do not want to see everything that
:21:12. > :21:17.is going on. It is distracted. He could have an advantage with his
:21:17. > :21:20.eyesight. The whole point today was to decide who plays who in the
:21:20. > :21:23.knockout matches tomorrow. For the main event they will move to the
:21:23. > :21:31.main venue. This could be a stunning location for Britain's men
:21:31. > :21:35.to win a medal, but they will have to get past South Korea first.
:21:35. > :21:37.The Queen has been holding a reception at Buckingham Palace for
:21:37. > :21:42.heads of state and world leaders ahead of tonight's Olympic opening
:21:42. > :21:47.ceremony. Only today the US First Lady Michelle Obama arrived to give
:21:47. > :21:53.a pep talk to Team USA, urging the athlete to have fun but win.
:21:53. > :21:58.Nicholas Witchell sent this report. Regardless of your status,
:21:58. > :22:01.regardless of your nationality, this is a special moment as the
:22:01. > :22:09.United States's First Lady Michelle Obama told the US Olympic team at
:22:09. > :22:15.their base in East London. Every few years, these Games bring pride,
:22:15. > :22:19.excitement and wonder to millions of people around the world. That
:22:19. > :22:27.must mean so much to all of you being part of giving so many people
:22:27. > :22:29.that much hope. Her diplomatic footwork could not be faulted. She
:22:29. > :22:37.avoided any implied criticism of the London Olympic arrangements
:22:37. > :22:41.such as that batted yesterday by the Republican presidential
:22:41. > :22:48.candidate Mitt Romney. She joined David Beckham to Red Star the
:22:48. > :22:51.benefits of healthy living in the grounds of her residence. -- to
:22:51. > :22:55.extol the benefits. And then to Buckingham Palace where it hundreds
:22:55. > :22:58.of heads of state and other dignitaries had been invited by the
:22:58. > :23:01.Queen to a special opening night reception. Tonight the Queen will
:23:01. > :23:06.become the only head of state to have opened the summer Olympics
:23:06. > :23:11.twice. The last time was in Montreal in 1976, as Queen of
:23:11. > :23:16.Canada. As leaders of the many nations competing in the Games, you
:23:16. > :23:22.have come from around the world to witness this global festival of
:23:22. > :23:27.sport. I hope that you will enjoy your time in the United Kingdom,
:23:27. > :23:32.and I am sure that you will find a warm reception awaiting you, your
:23:33. > :23:37.athletes, and the visiting spectators. Later this evening, the
:23:37. > :23:44.Queen will enter into the spirit of the occasion when she travels to
:23:44. > :23:50.the Olympic Stadium to declare the Games Open. And night of surprises
:23:50. > :23:54.beckons. When they get here tonight, the
:23:54. > :23:58.leaders and other dignitaries will be part of a 65,000 strong crowd
:23:58. > :24:00.and some are starting to arrive right now. Sophie Raworth is down
:24:00. > :24:04.at the Olympic Park with some of them.
:24:04. > :24:08.Hello. I am right in the thick of it. The gates opened at 5 o'clock
:24:08. > :24:15.this afternoon and that is when the public began pouring in for the
:24:15. > :24:19.first time. 65,000 people will pack the stadium behind me. Not 80,000,
:24:19. > :24:22.that is the capacity because some of the seats are being taken out to
:24:22. > :24:28.accommodate scenery. We are not quite sure what will be happening.
:24:28. > :24:33.I am joined by lots of excited people. It is your birthday, isn't
:24:33. > :24:39.it? Other than that what are you looking forward to? It is going to
:24:39. > :24:44.be brilliant. It will be fun. The whole evening. You have certainly
:24:44. > :24:48.dressed for the part. Thank you. Now, you are like most of us here.
:24:49. > :24:52.You know what will happen because you are in it. Yes. I am going to
:24:52. > :24:59.be drumming and fingers crossed marshalling the athletes along the
:24:59. > :25:02.parade. You will all find out in less than three hours. It is
:25:02. > :25:08.amazing how few details have late because they have made a big thing
:25:08. > :25:14.about saving the surprise. -- have leaked out. Yes, what can I say,
:25:14. > :25:19.they have to do that because it is a massive event. Are we in for a
:25:19. > :25:23.bigger treat than Beijing? Yes, definitely bigger than that.
:25:23. > :25:28.his family have travelled all the way from Cambridgeshire. What an
:25:28. > :25:36.evening. You are only seven. What do you make of it? What are you
:25:36. > :25:40.most looking forward to? Seeing the athletes go around the stadium.
:25:40. > :25:45.think that will be a very special moment. And your auntie is in it as
:25:45. > :25:50.well. You do not know what she is doing. Masseur of excitement and
:25:50. > :26:00.enthusiasm here. -- massive excitement.
:26:00. > :26:00.
:26:00. > :26:04.Thank you. Now the weather. Is it There is no sunshine at the moment
:26:04. > :26:08.for the thousands at the stadium but the showers have stayed away.
:26:08. > :26:11.We need to keep a close eye on the threatening skies behind me over
:26:12. > :26:16.the next few hours because I cannot rule out showers developing in the
:26:16. > :26:20.London area. There is a very low chance of a shower. It is more
:26:20. > :26:23.likely that it will stay dry for the ceremony but I cannot
:26:23. > :26:28.completely rule out the shower developing. Those that pop up over
:26:28. > :26:32.the next few hours in South West England could take some time to
:26:32. > :26:37.clear away. And overnight, they will merge to give spells of rain
:26:37. > :26:41.in Scotland and Northern Ireland. As where it is dry and clear. Humid
:26:41. > :26:45.in the South East overnight, but it is fresher elsewhere and easier for
:26:45. > :26:48.sleeping. That takes us into the start of the weekend. Most of us
:26:48. > :26:54.will be fine but showers in Scotland from the word go, and some
:26:54. > :26:59.of them will be heavy and thundery. Some showers in North West and
:26:59. > :27:04.South West England, but elsewhere, they are few and far between. Link
:27:05. > :27:08.the dry and bright spells, but temperatures have come down. --
:27:08. > :27:15.mostly dry. The cyclists will appreciate that for the men's road
:27:15. > :27:19.race. They will also appreciate the lower humidity. On Sunday, we are
:27:19. > :27:24.all in the same boat. A mixture of cloud, brightness, and scattered
:27:24. > :27:28.showers. It is cool and fresh and the winds was stronger, which could
:27:28. > :27:33.impact the sailing at Weymouth. Where it has been hot, it is cooler,
:27:33. > :27:37.where it has been dry, showers will develop. And if you are a first-
:27:37. > :27:42.time visitor to the Games, forget the weather that you have had this
:27:42. > :27:45.week. We do not normally get that. You are about to experience some
:27:45. > :27:50.authentic British weather. It was nice while it lasted!
:27:50. > :27:56.With less than two hours to go until the opening ceremony, just
:27:56. > :28:00.time for word with David Bond, our sports correspondent. It has been
:28:00. > :28:04.seven years to get to this point and quite a journey. All day you
:28:04. > :28:07.could sense the atmosphere building across the country, across London,
:28:07. > :28:12.and in the Olympic Park and now in the Olympic Stadium where I can see
:28:12. > :28:17.a lot of people taking their seats for the start of the ceremony. Yes,
:28:17. > :28:21.there have been problems along the way, of course. We all know what
:28:21. > :28:25.they are, ticketing, transport and security. But you can just feel the
:28:25. > :28:30.scepticism and the doubt falling away, and this sense of national
:28:30. > :28:35.celebration. It is worth just reflecting that there are plenty of
:28:35. > :28:40.challenges to come. We are only at the start line. How will the
:28:40. > :28:45.organisation hold up over the next 16 days? Canteen she beat deliver
:28:45. > :28:50.on that 4th place medal target, perhaps going better than Beijing?
:28:50. > :28:54.-- can Team GB deliver? And picking up on the interview with Tony Blair,
:28:54. > :28:59.will there be a lasting and significant sporting legacy from
:28:59. > :29:03.the Games? That was one �9 billion was supposed to deliver. Perhaps
:29:03. > :29:09.those are questions for tomorrow and the future but tonight it is
:29:09. > :29:14.time for the party. Thank you. There lies tonight: The opening