OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY: Live coverage (From Your Local Guardian)

11:57am

12:49am

Michael Johnson liked it, that's good enough for me. Good night

12:46am

Is he going to play Helter Skelter?

12:41am

The B side of Abbey Road to start. Getting weird delay from the Olympic Park down the road and the TV coverage. Brings it home

12:25am

It's Redgrave

12:19am

But where's the cauldron?

12:13am

Although I'd like to try, it's difficult to argue with the points he made

12:11am

Good speech by Lord Coe

12:07am

Good effort from the Arctics. Digging the flying cyclist

11:59pm

Great scenes. Can't help but feel proud

11:56pm

We could be heroes

11:47pm

Sad to see countries with huge populations and small teams

11:40pm

Brilliant stuff. The looks on people's faces is a sharp reminder that this is about more than sport

11:33pm

Some incredible stories to accompany the procession. Team GB wearing gold hoods. It must be an amazing experience for them

11:02pm

TIM ASHTON IN THE OLYMPIC STADIUM: There are 205 countries parading or about to parade round the stadium, brought up at the rear by Team GB. It reminds us that the Olympics does indeed, as Ban Ki-moon said, bring countries together.

There is now a chill in the air but no one is leaving their seat, enthralled as we all are by this spectacle. And the fact the camera flashes never stop just goes to show the never wavering excitement of the crowd.

The Queen has said: 'Athletes from every corner of the globe speak of their enormous desire to represent their country through sport. It is at the Olympic Games that their many years of dedication and commitment are truly realised. The athletes' endeavours and triumphs will excite and inspire people wherever they live.'

We are now seeing that 'enourmous desire' etched into every face of every athlete.

11:01pm

TIM ASHTON IN THE OLYMPIC STADIUM: The atmosphere has turned reflective with the Memory Wall and a moving rendition of Abide with me. This is a night of celebration, but no one forgets those meli who cannot be here. Celebration can be for those have passed on as well as for what is to come. The stadium is silent as Emeli Sande sings beautifully - not a dry eye in the house.

But now here come the athletes - the parade of the world's sporting greats.

The smiles of the faces of the athletes reflects their obvious pride at being here in London. The Greek taekwondo athlete Alexandros Nikolaidis has the honour of leading the parade.

The atmosphere is now one of welcoming our guests for the next two weeks - welcome to Great Britain, have a great Games.

The light show is dazzling, the crowd is buzzing and the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up

10:44pm

Colombia flagbearer is a BMX champion. Who remembers Andy Ruffle?

10:37pm

British Virgin Islands remind how British colonial history was omitted from the opening ceremony

10:32pm

Belarus - the only European country under a dictatorship

10:30pm

Bahrain look stupendous also

10:27pm

Gold medal for best flagbearer's get-up goes to Aruba, surely

10:24pm

Upping the bpm to try and speed olympians up

10:22pm

Afghans next. Poignant

10:21pm

Greece lead the way, as it should be

10:20pm

Procession time

10:20pm

Moving dance piece accompanied by FA Cup anthem Abide with Me

10:13pm

Here comes the flame down the Thames. Sir David of Beckham is involved

10:12pm

TIM ASHTON IN THE OLYMPIC STADIUM: It is great how the crowd is being involved in this ceremony - it is really is the event for the people.

But Danny Boyle has reminded us, the volunteers who have spen the past two years rehearsing and creating the show in front of us deserve all our gratitude. This is the culmination of all that hard work and how they deserve their moment in the limelight.

Some of them are in the mosh pits and they are looking very well behaved, waving their flags and singing along to Frank Turner who is entertaining us at the moment - so polite they seem that it may be a little fraudulent to described them as being in a mosh pit.

Frank says: 'My name is Frank Turner and I am from Winchester and I have never done a gig like this before, But it is an honour to be here.'

Honour? Something I can very much relate to right now, it is an honour to be here, such a privilege.

The green hills are filling up with the stars of the show - and there's a man with a bee hive other there. I hope they aren't real bees...

10:09pm

Not widely known, but Berners Lee deserves utmost respect

10:06pm

Grime time. This is proper east London. Not his best stuff though

10:04pm

Don't tell me Underworld chose one of their own tracks

10:03pm

The chronology is off, but they're getting some good stuff in

10:02pm

Relax: Banned by the BBC

10:02pm

Respect for doing extended Pistols. Could do with a shot to Her Majesty at that point

10:00pm

This is good. Bowie, Queen, silly dancing, outrageous clobber

9:58pm

Little montage of decent sixties stuff

9:57pm

Disappointed with the music - skimming the surface and not really showing all we've got to offer. Got to love The Jam, but they sound like they've had the edge taken off for mass consumption

9:52pm

Oh no! Blackadder just turned into Mr Bean. Good abstract synth tone there though

9:51pm

Where's Baldrick?

9:49pm

Blackadder doing a Giorgio Moroder version of Chariots of Fire - I'm getting in to this

9:44pm

The kids are saving this

9:40pm

It's a Knockout meets Dark Side of the Moon

9:40pm

We're getting hypnagogic with JK Rowling

9:37pm

Have we had a reference to the Carry on films yet? It's got to come, surely

9:36pm

I haven't seen Mike Oldfield since he did an electro version of the Blue Peter theme tune. He's looking well

9:34pm

This is brilliant. Kids giving it some and they're dressed like its past their bedtime - quality

9:30pm

They should have played "There She Goes" by the La's

9:30pm

Here she comes

9:29pm

It's day in the sky but night on the ground

9:28pm

Parachute?

9:27pm

Here comes the most obnoxious Bond ever. Hold on, it's the Queen, with surreal corgis. That's more like it

9:25pm

From the commentary, I'm getting a sense that 'you had to be there'.

9:23pm

Beeb lady talking about a smell that will live with us forever..mmmm

9:22pm

Did Underworld do this music? Give me Dubnobasswithmyheadman anyday

9:21pm

Brunel taking centre stage. Clarkson will be pleased

9:19pm

Disappointed with the music so far - bland

9:18pm

Looks good from above. Sideburned men beckoning chimneys from the earth. More drumming. Not quite John Bonham

9:15pm

Branaghs got a cigar on the go. I'm not sure we've reached that stage yet

9:13pm

1000 drummers never sounded so like... about 10 drummers put through a very big sound system

9:10pm

We're in for an extended drum workout. Time to put the kettle on

9:09pm

Sideburns are properly "in". Branagh plays Brunel. West End musical?

9:07pm

Bless them. Out of work actors unite

9:07pm

Luvee in a hat - check

9:06pm

Not much of a start to be honest. Kids are having a good time though

9:05pm

Mandatory Jerusalem. Respect to Bill Blake

9:05pm

Wigging out to Wiggo. Tour de france winner did a sterling job of ringing the bell, better than the culture secretary anyway

9:02pm

The Sex Pistols get at least three-quarters of a second

9:01pm

We're off down the Thames. Peter Ackroyd's book on the great river is worth a read

8:59pm

Yes! a maypole. Calm before the storm

8:57pm

Sweeping strings, Shipping forecast.....

8:55pm

JB: Here we go. Deep breath

8:54pm

JB: Marr just did a decent nostalgia piece for the Beeb. I've almost forgotten that super-injunction

8:47pm

JB: Just 20 minutes to go and it's stop raining. A distinctly British mix of excitement, nervousness and pride pervades. I get the sense that we're looking for an excuse to go nuts, but are worrying something might go wrong. Bring it on!

Hold on, some guy's playing some strum-tastic, attempted rabble-rousing "rock'n'roll" I may have heard in an advert. Not great.

8:30pm

TIM ASHTON IN THE OLYMPIC STADIUM: This is truly sensational - the Red Arrows have zoomed over, the light show is spectacular and the ceremony has not even started yet. We're expecting Arctic Monkeys, Kenneth Branagh, Sir Paul McCartney and even JK Rowling (she wrote some book about a wizard I think). James Bond is expected to put in an appearance as is the Queen - this is truly an A-list event.

Here's the animal count: 40 sheep, 12 horses, three cows, two goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, nine geese and three sheep - all looked after by 34 animal handlers. We have four maypoles and 7,346 square metres of real turf.

The fun kicks off with a Green and Pleasant Land - a selection of films about the countryside we all know and love. The countryside of Winnie the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows... apparently.

Folk singer Frank Turner is singing 'Sailing' and gently strumming his guitar - what a great moment for the guy and the reception is wonderful.

We're getting ready to practice singing the National Anthem.

6:49pm

TIM ASHTON AT THE OLYMPIC PARK: The waiting is almost over, the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games is just hours away. The eyes of the world will watch as London launches a show of pomp and circumstance borne out of pride, passion and the unfailing Olympic spirit.
The torch is on its final leg after 70 days touring the UK, the athletes are in their Olympic village and now the fans are pouring through the gates to gaze at the Olympic Stadium where Danny Boyle’s opening extravaganza promises to excite, enflame and entrance all those lucky enough to have a ticket.
Fans have come from all over the world, drawn by the flame.
Mark McGill, 44, and Glenn McEwen, 51, have flown in from Sydney, Australia, for this once in a life-time experience.
"Going to the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games is a bucket list-type event," Mark said. "It is probably one of the top 10 tickets in the world.  We got our ticket at the 500 days to go mark so we have been counting down ever since. It is so exciting."
Glenn added: "We’ve avoided all the media speculation about the ceremony so it is a complete surprise."
What is unsurprising, considering how far they have come, is the list of events they are due to see. Glenn said: "We’re going to shooting, archery, badminton, Greco wrestling, water polo, handball and gymnastics. But the one we’re really looking forward to is the men’s diving – our Matthew Mitcham is going to beat Tom Daley."
Time will tell chaps.
Tom Daley will be pleased to know that Gary and Carol Amos are supporting him. Sixty-year-old Gary, who works for RBS in Bromley, said: "We’re looking forward to supporting Tom, but I really want to see Usain Bolt win the 100m final. That would be fantastic."
Carol, 21, said: "The stadium is amazing, it has the wow-factor and just blows you away. It is so exciting it is here in London and not on the other side of the world. Incredible.
"Some people have been down on the whole 2012 thing but there is such a buzz here, look at all the people. It is just great to see. I cannot wait for it to start."
Also getting some British support is gymnast Beth Tweddle. Sisters Lucy and Olivia Corkhill-Brown from Harrogate in Yorkshire are right behind the Team GB star. Lucy, 10, said: "She’s brilliant, I am really looking forward to the gymnastics and I hope she wins the gold."
Eight-year-old Olivia could barely contain her excitement. "On a scale of one to 10, I am at 11," she said.
There are tennis fans here too. Adrian Moore from the Belfast and Alex Sherpiro from the US are supporting Roger Federer, although their first love is in the pool.
"The US will be number one in the pool," said Alex. "I can see us winning a whole heap of medals. And this place, the Olympic Park, is just amazing. You’ve done a great job, being here is giving me goose bumps – it’s fantastic."
Slightly more down to earth are sailors Tim and Hazel Barrett from Norfolk. Tim, 70, said: "I think the opening ceremony will be slightly naff and slightly kitsch but wonderful, wonderful fun."
Wife Hazel, 68, added: "We’re missing a whole day’s sailing for this so it had better be worth it. But Boris summed it up very well: it is very exciting for London."
So, the fans are here, the scene is set..... Let the games begin.
 

6:38pm

JB: Still over two hours to go before the opening ceremony kicks off. The VIP's are enjoying some nosh at the palace and there is a palpable sense of excitement around the city. We know it cost £27million and Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle is going to utilise some livestock as he takes us on a journey from medieval to post-industrial Britain. Macca's going to do his thing after Underworld have soundtracked proceedings and there will be dancing, fireworks and speeches. But who will light the couldron? Will the Arctic Monkeys accompany Sir Paul on a rendition of Come Together as rumoured? Will the fireworks be vitual or real? So many questions. It's going to be fun finding out, I hope. 

6:22pm

6:16pm

World leaders have been welcomed to Buckingham Palace for a glittering reception as the long wait for the start of the Olympic Games came to a close.

6:05pm