London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony countdown

Follow all the action, news and events from the Olympics including the thoughts from The Independent's journalists, the latest pictures and what the world is saying about The Games

The opening ceremony for the Olympics started at 9pm.

The torch has been carried down the Thames and is now being held at City Hall before being taken to the Olympic Stadium.

For the rest of today's top news click here... london2012.independent.co.uk

Check out the schedule, medals table and results by clicking here...
www.independent.co.uk

by Simon Rice (Online Sports... edited by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:45:48 PM

Abide With Me. That's me gone in tears.

by chrisb66 via twitter 7/27/2012 9:19:12 PM
Possibly my favourite hymn, this. 'Oh thou who changes not, abide with me' #london2012

by cjmckeon via twitter 7/27/2012 9:19:14 PM
Abide With Me by Henry Francis Lyte has stunned the audience in the stadium

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:21:50 PM
Typical Greece to walk on with a collecting tin #openingceremony #indyolympics

by cleavermike via twitter 7/27/2012 9:22:00 PM
The Olympians enter the stadium

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:22:44 PM
Loads of athletes are holding phones to record their walk. How times change. It's their night though #indyolympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 9:24:28 PM
Interesting that we marked the 7/7 attacks but neither we nor IOC will mark 40th anniversary of Munich massacre #indyolympics #olympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 9:27:29 PM
Said it before and I'll say it again, Danny Boyle is a genius!! So proud, all over again, to be British.

by cathharvey via twitter 7/27/2012 9:31:12 PM
So glad The NHS was the pinnacle focus of Danny Boyle's ceremony, so under rated. Such an important institution. Rowan Atkinson made me howl

by roxigregory via twitter 7/27/2012 9:32:53 PM
Proud to be British.
— Danny Boyle (@DannyBoyleFilm) July 27, 2012

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:34:15 PM
I'm sorry but did they make the Belize guys raid Lord Ashcroft's wardrobe? #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 9:35:13 PM
by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:36:38 PM
The Independent Guide to flag bearers at the opening ceremony... www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:39:44 PM
Cripes, I've just realised our lot come last. I was hoping to pop out for a cup of tea after Guam. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 9:40:20 PM
Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at the opening ceremony

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:42:50 PM
Only from what I see on twitter but rather worrying reports of #criticalmass arrests not far from Olympic Stadium #indyolympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 9:43:51 PM
The Chinese press core went batshit crazy when China walked out just now. They're definitely a patriotic bunch #indyolympics #olympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 9:45:50 PM
In typical British fashion I'm going to praise the #OpeningCeremony by saying it could have been much much worse. #IndyOlympics

by BobJWilliams via twitter 7/27/2012 9:47:36 PM
This is gonna take AGES. We're still only on the third letter of the alphabet... #OlympicCeremony
— Emily Rister (@emilyrister) July 27, 2012

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:49:15 PM
Democratic People's Republic of North Korea has just stepped out. Three quarters of their name is wrong and the last word only half right

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 9:51:15 PM
The @Independent is bossing the Newsnight ceremony debate with @GraceDent and @PennyRed #OpeningCeremony

by BobJWilliams via twitter 7/27/2012 9:51:32 PM
Thank you, everyone, for your kind words! Means the world to me. #London2012
— Danny Boyle (@DannyBoyleFilm) July 27, 2012

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 9:55:39 PM
James Lawton reports on the Opening Ceremony
We cannot know yet what these Olympics will bring us, not in the full sweep of the greatest sports spectacle on earth, but here you could feel the weight of all the possibilities – and the yearning of a people, somewhat battered in recent years, that this might just be a time to make another mark.

To read more click this link www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:03:21 PM
Germany have kitted their men out in baby blue and their women in baby pink. Susse! #indyolympics #olympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 10:04:29 PM
Cripes, I think the German team did a late costume swap with those in the 1980s dance sequence. Sehr pastel. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 10:04:31 PM
Usain Bolt now leading the Jamaican team into the stadium

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:07:22 PM
The Independent Olympic Athletes are out. Only four of them. They're from Dutch Antilles and South Sudan. Bless em. #indyolympics #olympics

by Jerome Taylor via twitter 7/27/2012 10:07:39 PM
Stage manager desperately waving on Kazakhstan to hurry up. Only 107 to go. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 10:11:07 PM
Seven-foot tall Jianlian Yi of the China Olympic basketball team carries his country's flag during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:11:14 PM
James Bond, the Queen, Mr Bean, Glastonbury tor, the NHS, maypole dancers - it was a night to celebrate this Isle of Wonder. Tom Peck and Cahal Milmo recount the ceremony's highs and lows
“Just how do you compete with Beijing?” is the question everyone, Danny Boyle included, has been asking for the last four years. The emphatic answer is with bucketloads of imagination

Read more here www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:19:22 PM
Big roar for Mexico. Check out that dress. Caramba. Game on Cook Islands. #indyolympics.

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 10:22:52 PM
Lording the rings: One of the more dramatic moments from tonight's opening ceremony as rings are forged during the Industrial Revolution

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:23:02 PM
And was Jerusalem builded here? Independent journalist Jonathan Brown watches the Olympic ceremony with Congolese refugees
But the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Rowan Atkinson. “Mr Bean,” they chorused before breaking into uncontrollable laughter filming the television with their smart phones to record the moment for posterity.

To read more click this link www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:35:40 PM
Saudi Arabia's three women athletes, late additions, made to walk firmly at the back behind the fellas. Long way to go. #indyolympics.

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 10:38:37 PM
The true Olympic spirit could be felt in London's East End with the opening ceremony broadcast on a big screen to the people of Hackney. Kevin Rawlinson reports.
"Come on, let's get friendly, it's the Olympics," shouted one man.

To read more click this link www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:42:59 PM
Lots of Aussie athletes now sitting down on the grass. It's been a long wait... #2012OlympicOpeningCeremony #indyolympics

by emilydugan via twitter 7/27/2012 10:48:10 PM
With a little help from his friends: Just some of the 15,000 volunteers who helped Danny Boyle stage tonight's opening ceremony - these marking the contribution made by the Beatles with albums like Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:50:52 PM
Here come the US. Hopefully we don't spend the entirety of the next fortnight coming in ten places behind them #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 10:56:00 PM
USA got almost as big a cheer as Jamaica. Not quite though, and nowhere near as big as the one on its way for #TeamGB #indyolympics

by emilydugan via twitter 7/27/2012 10:56:07 PM
Team USA are soooo wearing berets
— Grace Dent (@gracedent) July 27, 2012

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 10:56:56 PM
Really enjoyed opening ceremony. BRING ON THE SPORT #Olympics2012

by lnardini via twitter 7/27/2012 10:59:04 PM
whoever said it’s a small world has never had to sit through the country parade in the olympic opening ceremony

by swagbelieberr via twitter 7/27/2012 10:59:44 PM
Just one question remains: who will light the Olympic flame. Here's our shortlist.. www.independent.co.uk

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:11:55 PM
"I have never been so proud to be British and part of the Olympic movement as I am at this moment."

Lord Coe

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:14:00 PM
IOCC president Jacques Rogge praises 'gender equality"

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:15:11 PM
Jacques Rogge:
Honour not determind by whether you win but how you compete

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:18:09 PM
Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered Stephen Lawrence, one of the flagbearers

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:20:38 PM
Standing ovation for Ali. Of course. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 11:23:09 PM
Here we go. So Sir Steve gets his go after all. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 11:33:50 PM
The Olympians from Argentina pictured coming into the stadium earlier this evening

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:34:01 PM
So we all guessed wrong - the flame was lit by seven young Olympians representing the next generation

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:43:44 PM
Wow. Beautiful. Great way to do the torch. Seven kids. And now Macca. #indyolympics

by cahalmilmo via twitter 7/27/2012 11:45:16 PM
A remarkable and memorable occasion - thanks to everyone for their contributions. The Independent website will be carrying breaking news throughout the Olympics

by Alan Cleaver 7/27/2012 11:52:20 PM