The Flame has arrived!

Princess Anne, London Mayor Boris Johnson, Lord Coe London 2012 Chairman and David Beckham arrived at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall this evening with the lantern containing the Olympic flame.

BA2012, the specially painted gold plane arrived at 7.30pm with its precious cargo firmly screwed onto a table in a seat of its own!  There were 4 golden lanterns, each containing the flame leaving nothing to chance just in case any problem should occur.

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Princess Anne carried the lantern from the plane and handed it over to one of the Torch Security Team who prepared it for David Beckham to light the golden cauldron and the crowds cheered the moment when the Olympic Flame was actually burning on British soil.

Photo: AP

The flame will be taken to Land's End at dawn on Saturday ready for the first leg of the Torch Relay which will start at 7am.  The first torchbearer will be Ben Ainslie CBE, the triple Olympic gold-medal sailing champion who grew up in Cornwall.

There were great cheers and broad smiles all round this evening from the welcoming crowds and former Olympian Lord Coe was beaming with relief that his 10 year project had reached this stage.  David Beckham was excited and proud to welcome the Games to his country and especially to the London borough where he grew up.  Boris Johnson was so excited, he treated himself to a haircut for the occasion!

Boris Johnson, The Princess Royal, David Beckham and Lord Coe during the official handover ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium on Thursday

The Olympic Flame is classed as a symbolic flame so is permitted to be carried in the cabin of an aircraft, after being  given special permission by the Civil Aviation Authority.