Best of British to close Olympics

11:45am Sunday 24th August 2008

The Beijing Olympics will end with a closing ceremony featuring the best of British rock, glamour and sport to mark the handover to London for the 2012 Games.

Rock legend Jimmy Page and singer Leona Lewis will star in the eight-minute slot for London, while footballer David Beckham will also be involved.

The set will kick in after London mayor Boris Johnson receives the Olympic flag in the handover ceremony, and starts with a red London double decker bus driving around the Bird's Nest stadium being pursued by Team GB cyclists Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who spoke on Saturday of his hope that a UK football team could compete in the next Olympics, will also attend the closing event.

It follows the last sporting effort by a Briton at Beijing.

On arriving in Beijing, Beckham said he believed the London Olympics in 2012 would be even better than the spectacular events this year.

The England footballer said Team GB's astonishing medal haul will spark a wave of interest in taking part in sport.

Beckham said: "I'm an East End boy and I'm proud that it's happening in London. I was very proud to be involved in the first place bringing it back to England and to London. It's going to generate so much interest in sport and kids are already getting excited about it.

"We have seen what the Chinese have done here and I'm sure we will better that, without a doubt."

Team GB has had its most successful Olympics for a century.