800 athletes to join Olympic victory parade

Up to 800 athletes will travel on 21 floats in a victory parade through London to celebrate the achievements of British Olympians and Paralympians.

The Our Greatest Team Parade, organised by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, will take place on Monday September 10.

Team GB finished third in the medal table after winning 29 gold medals, 17 silvers and 19 bronzes - a total of 65.

Cycling brought in the biggest haul of eight golds, two silvers and two bronzes, and highlights of the Games included 29-year-old Mo Farah's historic 5,000m and 10,000m double win, 26-year-old heptathlete Jessica Ennis's gold, and cycling time trial winner Bradley Wiggins, 32.

The parade will set off from Mansion House in the City at 1.30pm.

Members of the public will be able to watch the parade as it travels along Queen Victoria Street and Cannon Street, passing St Paul's Cathedral, continuing along Fleet Street, past Aldwych and into The Strand, before reaching Trafalgar Square.

A big screen at the base of Nelson's Column, with live commentary, will allow spectators to cheer on the athletes as the parade makes its way past Trafalgar Square, a GLA spokesman said.

From Trafalgar Square the athletes will go through Admiralty Arch into The Mall, travelling down to the Queen Victoria Memorial.

The spokesman said: "For capacity reasons, partly due to the infrastructure still in place from the previous day's Paralympic Marathon, the area from Admiralty Arch to the Queen Victoria Memorial will be ticketed and reserved for groups who have made an invaluable contribution to the Games and the success of our athletes.

"These will include 14,000 volunteers, members of the blue light services, military personnel, Team GB and ParalympicsGB coaches and support staff, friends and family of the athletes involved, as well as schoolchildren from every London borough."

Prime Minister David Cameron will host an event to recognise the achievements of the athletes.