London welcomes the Olympic Flame

The Olympic Flame arrived in London in spectacular fashion this evening with the help of the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force (CHF), in advance of its seven-day tour of the capital.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), Mayor of London Boris Johnson, Lutfur Rahman, Mayor of Tower Hamlets and General the Lord Dannatt, Constable of the Tower of London, hosted a special welcome event at HM Tower of London to mark the Flame's arrival.

During its time in the capital, the Olympic Flame will be carried by 982 Torchbearers and travel around 200 miles of the capital's streets, taking in landmarks, community spaces and places to showcase London to the world.

First Torchbearers in the capital 

Dame Kelly Holmes, who won 800m and 1500m gold at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games wasthe first Torchbearer in the capital in recognition of her success as athlete, her sports coaching and mentoring programmes and her involvement in London's bid to host the Games. She carried the Olympic Flame from Tower Wharf up on to the ramparts of the Tower of London where she handed it to Abul Kasam, 30, a resident of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

London's moment to shine

Sebastian Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: "With the eyes of the world on London, we welcome the Olympic Flame to the capital this evening in spectacular style. The week ahead will see hundreds of inspiring people enjoying their moment to shine as they carry the Flame through the streets of every London Borough as the final countdown to the London 2012 Games begins."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: "The breathtaking arrival of the Olympic Flame heralds the final countdown to what will be the greatest Games, in the greatest city on earth, during what is truly a summer like no other."