London Olympics opening ceremony - As it happened

Seven years of planning came to a head last night when Danny Boyle's £27 million Olympics opening ceremony Isles of Wonders marked the start of the London 2012 Games.

The three-hour spectacle in the Olympic Stadium was viewed by a global TV audience of around one billion people, and is featured Brit treasures such as The Beatles, James Bond, David Beckham and, er, cyclists wearing glow in the dark wings.

Our reporter Nick Mashiter was at the scene live tweeting all the action as it unfolded.