Grand Closing Ceremony Ends 2012 London Olympics

Spectators watched a pre-show before the closing ceremony kicked off. Photo by BBC

A spectacular closing ceremony showcasing British people, music and culture drew the curtain on the 2012 London Olympics, hailed as "fabulous" by Games chiefs.

The finale, which started at 2100 BST, featured about 4,000 performers alongside artists such as the Spice Girls.

The climax of the ceremony saw the Olympic flame being extinguished and the baton passed to Rio de Janeiro.

In a special message, the Queen congratulated all the British and Commonwealth athletes who had taken part and said they had "truly captured the public's imagination and earned their admiration".

Closing ceremony artistic director Kim Gavin has described the event, which will focus on 50 years of British music, as a "mashed-up symphony".

In all, 44 world records have been set during London 2012, and 117 Olympic records broken.

Among those to have set new world bests included Kenyan David Rudisha in the men's 800m and the Jamaican sprint relay team, one of three golds during the Games for Usain Bolt.

US swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian in history while cyclist Sir Chris Hoy's two gold medals meant he became the most successful British Olympian of all time.

The International Olympics Committee president Jacques Rogge said he was "very happy" with the Games, and he was a "very happy and grateful man".

"It has been a dream for sports lovers," he said, adding that history had been made by many athletes.

The revamped 560-acre (227-hectare) Olympic Park site - to be known as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - is set to reopen in stages starting on the first anniversary of the opening of the Games, on 27 July 2013.

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