Photographs I took at the London 2012 Closing Ceremony - Sunday 12th August 2012
After going to the London Olympics 2012 opening ceremony I was so blown away I immediately went online and was lucky enough to find closing ceremony tickets. I took way too many photos, if something looked good in front of me I’d grab my camera and snap and these are my top 100 memories of the night.

It all kicked off about 18:00 as I arrived with my sister, we mingled in the crowds, enjoyed a beer, wandered round the lush waterfront gardens and entered the stadium about 19:30 – The first few photos were taken as they were still setting up, adding the “paper cars” and props to the set. Before we knew it, a few beers and nibbles later it was 21:00 and we were live to the world.

On the countdown to 21:00 the atmosphere went electric, an amazing roar and feeling as we all celebrated the achievements of all the athletes 17 days of endeavours. I remember the beginning because all the cars and lorries zooming round, there was an incident right in front of us, two of the drivers entered and went the wrong way, was great to see the stewards trying to deal with the mess! Bet that never made the TV! Then it kicked off with Emeli Sande one of the many to sing from the back of a truck! Quickly Followed by Madness who kicked it up a gear and got us all on our feet and the Pet Shop Boys did a great 400 meters followed by Harry Styles and I think the rest of One Direction were also there!

Many things happened and it was hard to work out what was going on, some subtle things probably only appreciated if you had a script or listened to the TV commentary. John Lennon singing Imagine while something was being built was really engaging with a great sculpture of him appearing on the centre stage, Yoko Ono’s concept and she also remixed the song; John Lennon still sounds so current.

I next remember Annie Lennox, she got one of the biggest roars from the crowds, what an amazing production, she put on a mini show of her own, I loved that song first time round and she sang live with such feeling. Jessie J then stole the show, riding in the back of a white Rolls Royce Phantom convertible she got the party going! Chasing her in two of the same cars were Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz, great trio singing together, love live shows like this, such a mix up.

I didn’t think I had remembered so much but then enter 5 black taxis; the spice girls rocked the stadium, was amazing! Then if you haven’t seen Eric Idol, you should go replay that eccentric few minutes! The speeches actually Sebastian Coe got the most amazing reception, clever speech, thanked the “games makers” and what a roar, it carried on for ages! The Olympic flag came down, the amazing cauldron unformed and was extinguished; hairs on the back of my neck went funny though before you had time to feel sad Darcey Bussell, one of our best ballerinas, flew in as a phoenix and it all kicked off again!

Take That punched out one of their best and what then happened with the fireworks was incredible, I have never seen anything like it, we were all covered in confetti and gunpowder!