Olympic flag is passed to London in spectacular closing ceremony

Last Modified: 24 Aug 2008
By: Alex Thomson, Tom Clarke

The closing ceremony summed up the Beijing Olympic games, which were technically flawless but somewhat lacking in soul and spontaneity.

The games where records were shattered.

The games of Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and Chris Hoy.

The most successful Olympics for British athletes in 100 years.

The games where the Bird's Nest was opened to the world but where so much of China and of Tibet remained shutdown, censored, forbidden.

The closing ceremony also offered a glimpse of what Britain has been out to sell, a smaller, funnier, quirkier, London Olympics in 2012.

In London, tens of thousands turned out for a giant street party to celebrate.

All day crowds have filled the Mall outside Buckingham Palace and people in towns and cities throughout the country watched it all on giant screens.