Flame lights up games countdown

The Olympic flame arrived in the UK last night ahead of a 70-day tour of the country.

Footballer David Beckham, the Princess Royal, Lord Coe, chairman of games organisers Locog, and London Mayor Boris Johnson flew from Athens, Greece, with the flame.

They were on board British Airways flight BA2012, a gold-liveried Airbus 319 named The Firefly.

The Olympic flame was held in four lanterns, which were fastened into specially-designed cradles in seats 1A and 1B for the flight from Athens.

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