April 18, 2012 1.19 pm This story is over 142 months old

Red Arrows to mark Olympic opening ceremony

Lincolnshire pride: The Red Arrows will perform a nine-ship flypast on the day of the Olympic Opening Ceremony on July 27.

The Red Arrows aerobatic display team, based near Lincoln, will perform a nine-ship flypast in Big Battle formation for the Olympic opening ceremony on July 27.

The flypast is meant to symbolically link the whole of the UK and provide a quintessential British welcome to the Olympic athletes.

The team will also fly over London 2012 Live Sites in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) made the announcement to mark 100 days until the Olympic Games in the capital.

Officer Commanding the Red Arrows, Red 1, Squadron Leader Jim Turner, said: “The Red Arrows are honoured to have been invited to take part in the London 2012 Olympic Games celebrations to represent both the Royal Air Force and the very best of British.

“My whole squadron, pilots and ground support staff alike, share the pride and privilege of being part of such a special occasion.”

In Lincoln, RAF Officer Flight Lieutenant Rachael Cadman, who works at RAF Cranwell, has been named the city’s Olympic Torch Relay Ambassador.

Celebrations to mark 100 days until the games have been hosted across the country on Wednesday.

260 Guardsmen from the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots and Welsh Guard mark 100 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games, at Horse Guards Parade in central London – venue for the Beach Volleyball competition.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Standing in the Rings are athletes’ families, Torchbearers, Games Maker volunteers, London 2012 Festival participants and schoolchildren – all getting ready to welcome the world in the summer.

Weymouth and Portland – location for the London 2012 Sailing competitions – have marked 100 days to go to the Olympic Games by building a giant sandcastle featuring the Olympic Rings on Weymouth beach.