Saturday, July 28, 2012

Teenagers light cauldron as Olympic Games open


Seven teenagers lit the Olympic cauldron at an opening ceremony starring the Queen and seen by millions around the world, in a touching finale to a high-octane, musical celebration of British history and culture.




The Olympic cauldron is seen alight as fireworks are set off during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games (Reuters)


True to the London Games' motto of 'Inspire a Generation', organisers put unknown youngsters in the global limelight rather than established sporting greats in the closing act of a madcap four hours of comedy, spectacle, noise and emotion.
"I declare open the Games of London celebrating the 30th Olympiad of the modern era," said Queen Elizabeth, the 86-year-old monarch, followed by a fanfare and explosion of fireworks.
The ceremony on a cool, cloudy but dry London night kicks off 16 days of sporting thrills and spills up and down the country, as more than 16,000 athletes from 204 countries vie for the Holy Grail of sport - Olympic gold.
Celebrating her 60th year on the throne this year, the monarch played a starring role in a ceremony which film director Danny Boyle turned into an unabashed celebration of the host nation stamped with an unmistakeably cinematic style.
Early on in the show, which ran well over time, Her Majesty appeared in a short, tongue-in-cheek film also starring Daniel Craig in his role as James Bond.
Wearing his trademark tuxedo, 007 enters Buckingham Palace and the queen, with two corgis at her feet, turns from a writing desk and says simply: "Good evening, Mr Bond".
The moment drew a huge cheer from the crowd, not used to seeing Her Majesty play such an informal part in proceedings, and coincided with a resurgence in the royal family's popularity following the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Doubles of Bond and the queen then parachuted from a helicopter above the stadium, built on the Olympic Park in a once derelict area of London's East End, before schoolchildren sang the national anthem and the Union flag was raised.
The quintessentially British flavour to the ceremony, accompanied by a stunning soundtrack of hits from Elgar to U2, caused plenty of confusion among international journalists struggling to describe it to readers back home.
"It couldn't get any more British if it came drenched in tea," quipped the Hollywood Reporter movie magazine.
But others from abroad warmed to Boyle's vision.
"It really played to what Britain does best," said Sarah Clarke, a visitor from South Africa, as she left the stadium after the show. "It was a British ceremony but absolutely we felt included."
The ceremony, inspired by Shakespeare's "The Tempest", began with Britain's first Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins ringing a giant 23-tonne Olympic bell.
Played out before world leaders, European royalty and dignitaries including US First Lady Michelle Obama, the show switched to the playful recreation of an English rural idyll with grassy meadows, fences, a water mill and maypoles.
A cast including shepherdesses, sheep, geese, dogs and a village cricket team filled the stage during the one-hour prologue to the show that included a dramatic, low-level fly-past by the jets of the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows stunt team.
After "England's green and pleasant land" came the "dark Satanic mills" of William Blake's famous poem.
Titled "Pandemonium", the next phase saw the grass uprooted and fences torn down to be replaced by a blackened landscape of looms and foundries that conjured the Industrial Revolution.
To the deafening beat of hundreds of drummers, giant chimneys rose from the ground and began to belch smoke as a small army of volunteers, dressed as 19th century factory workers, forged one of the five Olympic rings.
The giant orb was raised to the sky to join the four others, letting off a fountain of sparks and drawing gasps from many in the audience.
All around, especially designed "pixel" light boxes installed next to every seat accompanied each scene and created giant images of waves, flags and words.
In the second of three "acts", Boyle paid homage to the National Health Service, an emotive subject in Britain where people hold the right to free health care close to their hearts.
Hundreds of dancing and roller-skating nurses and doctors pushed beds on to the now empty stage and when the beds were illuminated, they spelled "GOSH" for the cherished Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London.
"The atmosphere was electric coming out into the stadium - like we could take over the world with our beds!", said Rachel Dobbin, a speech and language therapist from London who performed as a nurse in the ceremony.
Giant representations of famous villains from English literature, including JM Barrie's Captain Hook, JK Rowling's Voldemort and Ian Fleming's Childcatcher, rose from their beds.
They were quickly vanquished by dozens of Mary Poppins characters descending from cables criss-crossing the stadium roof, carrying brightly illuminated umbrellas.
Comedian Rowan Atkinson, adopting the globally recognised character of mischievous Mr Bean, brought the house down as he joined the London Symphony Orchestra playing a single note throughout the score of the Olympic film "Chariots of Fire".
The final act, starring hundreds of young nightclubbing dancers, was a breathless journey through popular British culture over the last five decades featuring music from everyone from the Sex Pistols to Queen and the Jam to the Who.
Sitting at a computer outside a small house on stage was Tim Berners-Lee, the Londoner who invented the worldwide web and enabled the explosion of social networking that is playing a major part at the London Games.
Mid-ceremony he tweeted to his almost 83,000 followers "This is for everyone" which also projected across the spectators.
Next came the parade of athletes, with the Greek team keeping up Olympic tradition and leading out thousands of competitors dressed in colourful national costumes.
They marched around the stadium in double-quick time, urged on by the up-tempo beats of the Bee Gees band and others. The world's fastest man Usain Bolt strode confidently with the Jamaican flag while playing up to cameras and cheering fans.
Libya and Egypt represented a new chapter in their histories after the tumultuous events of the Arab Spring while the first ever female Olympic athletes from Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar made appearances.
Britain, dressed in white and gold and hoping to repeat its medals success of Beijing in 2008, entered last to thunderous roars and the thumping strains of David Bowie's lyrics "We Can Be Heroes" as ticker tape floated down from the roof.
Boxing's most famous fighter Muhammad Ali briefly appeared to hold the Olympic flag, looking frail, wearing dark glasses and leaning on his wife.
The Olympic torch, ending an 8,000-mile odyssey across the country, was driven in a speedboat up the River Thames by former England football captain David Beckham and handed to Britain's most successful Olympian Steve Redgrave.
He then passed it on to seven youngsters - Callum Airlie, Jordan Duckitt, Desiree Henry, Katie Kirk, Cameron MacRitchie, Aidan Reynolds and Adelle Tracey - who performed a lap of honour before approaching the centre of the stage.
Surrounded by thousands of athletes, they lit some of the 200-plus copper petals which rose on stalks to form a single burning "flower".
Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney rounded off a night when music played non-stop, and at concerts across the capital, with a nostalgic sing-along of his old band's hit "Hey Jude".

Friday, July 27, 2012

Professor Green whisks Made in Chelsea’s Millie off on surprise birthday hol! WELL JEL.


It was Made in Chelsea's Millie Mackintosh's birthday yesterday and her boyfriend Professor Green did just what he was supposed to: spoiled her rotten!
Pro Green, will you take us to NY? Copyright: [wenn]
The rapper made sure he pulled out all the stops for his girlfriend as he jetted her off to New York for a surprise trip.
Millie has already said on Twitter that it was 'the best birthday ever', and we are so glad she had such a fab day.
Millie tweeted she had a great day. Copyright: [twitter/millsmackintosh]
However, it seems her boyf was slightly concerned for the purse string. Just before they were about to leave the rapper tweeted:
"About to board. #NYC. #Shopping. #Anightmareformypocket. #mightbearenegadeandnotdrawthecurtainsinourroomatthestandard."

We're not sure what that last bit means, but suspect it might be rude.
For those who's eyes are tired or can't be bothered, it reads 'might be a renegade and not draw the curtains in our room at the the standard'.
He later deleted the tweet so maybe we are right?
Pro Green was not happy the paps were around. Copyright: [wenn]
Cryptic messages aside, despite both the stars tweeting where they were off to, Pro Green was not too chuffed to see the paparazzi waiting for the pair in the arrivals lounge.
He tweeted: "Paps in NY. Brilliant, just what you need after an ambien."
Plus, it looks like he might be experiencing some bad karma after he later wrote:
"Tornado warnings in NY and from the window it looks like the root of it is the Empire State Building. Insane."
Eek. We hope they are OK! We are sure Millie will find some shops to seek shelter in! Pro Green's wallet better watch out.
Pro Green's wallet best get ready! Copyright: [rex]
And it sounds like they are having a great trip thus far, with P.Green later reporting:
"Met some brilliant Scotsman earlier @The Standard then got suitably wasted before an incredible meal @ Morimoto. Goodnight."
Wasted before dinner? We're not sure we could handle things in that order. But then again, he is well hard and from Hackney after all. We just hope Mills can keep up!

Jodie Marsh’s bikini body thanks to protein shakes rather than Pina Coladas


Another celeb is on holiday and this time it's Jodie Marsh.
Jodie is on holiday. We are not. Not FAIR! Copyright: [twitter/jodiemarsh]
Honestly, summer just seems like a bikini clad celebrity conveyor belt over here.
While we are still sat behind our desks dreaming of a bit of sun, off they go cavorting round in their bikinis tweeting pics to make us all stuck here proper jel.
However, we don't mind — just as long as we get to gawp at the pictures.
Jodie did lots of tweeting from the beach. Copyright: [twitter/jodiemarsh]
And one lady we will never tire of gawping at is Ms Jodie Marsh.
Although her bod now features more ink than a copy of 50 Shades of Grey, she does have an amazing body, and she obviously puts loads of work into it.
Even on holiday! Yep, although she is off chilling in the Caribbean Jodie remembered to pack one thing very important to her — her protein shakes!
Would have rather had a Sea Breeze. Copyright: [twitter/jodiemarsh]
She tweeted: "And yes I'm still drinking my coffee flavour protein shake on the beach. Haha x x x"
C'mon Jodie, your on your hols now, surely you deserve a break?
We reckon she should relax and order a Pina Colada asap.

Jodie is having a great time on her jollies, she even tweeted that she doesn't want to come home!
"I'm buying a jet ski and gonna rent it out for a living. Someone tell my mum I'm not coming home ;-) x"
And later: "I'm never leaving this beach again ;-)".
To be honest, when we do eventually go on holiday this year, we will be tweeting exactly the same thing. Minus the protein shakes.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Liberty Ross talks about Kristen Stewart, eek


When Kristen Stewart admitted yesterday that she had cheated on Robert Pattinson with married director Rupert Sanders, we pulled a huge shocked face.
Kristen Stewart met the married director, Rupert Sanders, on the set of Snow White and the Huntsman. To make matters even more complicated, Rupert's wife, Liberty Ross was in the film too.
We were at the Snow White and the Huntsman premiere back in May, and spoke to Liberty Ross, who told us exactly what she thought about Kristen.

Little did she know back then what had gone on behind the scenes.
Kristen Stewart and Rupert SandersKristen Stewart with Rupert Sanders during the promo trail for Snow White and the Huntsman. Copyright [Rex]When we asked her whether she was prepared for Kristen Stewart's fans to go crazy over the film, Liberty told us she was also a fan of the Twilight actress. Eek.
She said: "I can't wait. I'm part of her fan club so I'm ready to go crazy with them."
We doubt Liberty is feeling the same way now. Two days ago she tweeted: "Sometimes bad things fall apart so better things can fall together," before deleting her Twitter account.
After Kristen Stewart released a statement yesterday apologising to Robert Pattinson for cheating, Rupert Sanders hit back with one of his own.
Rupert said: "I am utterly distraught about the pain I have caused my family. My beautiful wife and heavenly children are all I have in this world. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together."

V Festival GOSS: Nicki Minaj’s wigs get a Winnebago of their own


Nicki Minaj is well known for liking wigs more than we like tea and cake (and that's a helluva lot).
Nicki MinajNicki Minaj has reportedly asked for a separate Winnebago for her wigs. Copyright [Wenn]
And now she's proved just how giant her wig collection is by requesting an ENTIRE Winnebago just for them at the upcoming V Festival .
Our inside sources at the Louder Lounge told us that the kooky songstress has asked for a separate trailer backstage at the Virgin Media V Festiaval to house her fake hair.
And organisers have apparently dubbed it Nicki's Wiggy-bago *GROAN*.
Nicki Minaj has a load of other hair requests too. Copyright [Wenn]
Apparently the uber cool songstress hasn't just requested the extra space for her hair pieces, when she hits the famous festival in August.
She's also got a lengthy list of hair accessories being demanded, including:
*at least 20 wig stands
*10 cans of hairspray
*300 hair pins, 5 combs
*spare wig caps,
*a 360 degree mirror
Meanwhile our insider at V tells us that Louder Lounge will once again be filled with loved-up duos.
And it's Professor Green and Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh who are set to take home the award for most lovey dovey couple, this year.
The pair - who have been spotted looking all cute doing the festival trail together all summer - are set to hang out backstage in the Louder Lounge.
And apparently V are going to make things EVEN more intimate with the installation of a love seat in the VIP area.
Just tweet us: "Dear @YahooOmgUk if I was backstage @vfestival I'd wow the crowd by [insert what you'd do] #omgcomps]"
For all V Festival information head to vfestival.com and for details on Virgin Media see virginmedia.com.

Young royals get into the Olympic spirit


The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Prince Harry in Greenwich to meet future sport coaches













Kerry Katona is a lady who likes to party, even on a school night!


Kerry Katona was out and about last night and, judging by these snaps, is probably in bed craving a bacon sarnie right now.
Kerry looked a little wobbly leaving the club. Copyright: [wenn]
To be fair, she had been at a party not a church.
Still it is fun to have a giggle at a tipsy celeb, gets us through the day nicely.
We are just jealous because if we party on a Wednesday night, we pay for it at our desks on Thursday.
If we were celebs we would almost certainly party every single night of the year. Even Christmas Day.
We all need a mate like this guy. Copyright: [wenn]
Kerry's mate appeared to have to help her walk straight as they left the club. However, we would probably need holding up if we left a club to 50 million flash bulbs going off.

Nonetheless, that's what mates are for, isn't it? To hold you up with on arm and hold your handbag in the other hand, hold on to that one Kezzah!
Hands up who hasn't ended up on one of these? Copyright: [wenn]
Kerry and another mate then jumped on a rickshaw and headed off for a bit to eat. Wouldn't be surprised if that 'bite' was a kebab.
Hands up who hasn't ended up on one of those contraptions after a night out? Taxis just seem so boring after 4 pints of vodka, right?
This story just makes us love Kerry a little bit more than we did before, and also kind of want to hit the town with her!

Kompany signs six-year contract


Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has signed a new six-year contract with the Premier League champions.


The 26-year-old Belgium defender, who last season led City to their first top-flight crown since 1968, was delighted to commit his long-term future to the club.
The new contract has been put at a reported £130,000-a-week, which would place the City captain some way below the club's top earners, Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez, who earn in excess of £200,000 each week.

Vincent Kompany, Manchester City
He told www.mcfc.co.uk: "For me if you are good somewhere then there is no reason to look elsewhere. Man City as a project is not just a project of the owners or the people employed by the club; it is also my project."
He added: "I have been here since the beginning and I have seen everything at the club change inside and out. I have the feeling that I have contributed to it too. It is good to know that I can be at City for another six years. It is a compliment that the club feels so highly of me."

99p jar of honey cures one man's painful eye infection


A shocked man who spent eight years searching for a cure for a chronic eye condition couldn't believe it when he finally found the remedy.



Frank Dougan, 62, lost his left eye when he was shot with a bow and arrow in a childhood accident and he later developed a painful infection called blepharitis. 

He visited doctors and eye specialists and spent a fortune on different drops over the years but nothing worked.
But he was finally cured when he cut his hand while on holiday in Jerusalem and he was advised to put honey on it.
Frank Dougan and the jar of miracle honey © SWNS
Surprised by the results, when he returned home to Glasgow he bought a jar of 99p Tesco Value Honey and tried it on his eyelid - and within weeks the infection had cleared.


“It's unbelievable. It's incredibly effective,” he said yesterday.

“I have spent a fortune on prescription eye drops over the years, I have a fridge full of them.

“It's funny that at the end of it all the cure would come in the form of a 99p jar of honey from the supermarket. And it's not bad on toast either.”

The retired soul DJ, who has played for celebrity fans like Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton, lost his left eye as a 12-year-old lad.

He has worn a prosthetic eye ever since, but it caused irritation at the end of the day and he eventually developed the painful infection which blighted him for eight years.
Despite the pain, he kept on working as an international DJ, completing long residencies at top hotels around the world including Hong Kong and Düsseldorf.



A honeycomb (Fotolia)

Frank spent hours visiting doctors and eye specialists but none could find a long lasting treatment.

He said: “I got shot in the eye by a bow and arrow when I was playing with friends as a kid. It was a terrible experience but I got through it and never let it hold me back.

“Sometimes prosthetic eyes can cause irritation, especially at night after you have been wearing them all day.

“Over the years I have learnt to live with it and I get a new eye made every few years. But eight years ago I began to get these infections that turned out to be blepharitis.

“Lots of doctors gave me eyes drops, I have a whole fridge full and I have spent a fortune but nothing worked.”
The fed up Scot retired three years ago and has spent his time travelling the world visiting historic monuments, all the while suffering intolerable pain.


But in February Frank stumbled across the cure while on a trip to Jerusalem.

He first spread the honey on his eyelid twice a day, including on his tear duct, and after just a few weeks the problem cleared up completely.

He said: “I was staying at a B&B when I cut my hand. I didn't have a first aid kit and the owner recommended putting honey on it.

“I did what he said and the cut healed overnight. Then weeks later I was at home and got a terrible inflammation in my eye.

“I thought I would give it a try and I haven’t had any problems since. I have looked it up and honey has anti-bacterial qualities so that must be it.
“Before that the best cure I could find was Johnson's tear free baby shampoo.





“I would wash my eye out with it and the pain would go away, but it was only a temporary fix and the pain would always come back. But I went to the opticians a few weeks ago after using the honey and she said she couldn’t find any trace of blepharitis.

“I have been all over the world and seen terrible illnesses in places where people can’t afford to go to the doctor. So to find a cure that’s so cheap could help so many people.

“It’s fantastic. My life has improved so much and for 99p I get a massive 340 gram tub which last for months.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “While we can’t attest to its healing powers, we can say for sure that Everyday Value Honey is great quality at a fantastic price and we’re delighted that it has helped one of our customers.”

Consultant dermatologist Dr Sasi Attili, from onlineskinexpert.com added: “Honey does have anti-bacterial qualities and is used in medicine for wound healing and conditions such as leg ulcers.

“It's hard to say whether a particular treatment will or won’t work because everyone is different, but honey has obviously worked well for this particular patient.”

Going for gold: metallic make-up



With the Olympics happening this week, it's time to show your support and go for gold, silver or bronze with these metallic A-list looks that ooze medal-winning glamour...





Kristen's signature style is all about the smoky eye and combining it with metallic shades is the perfect way to achieve a sexy look for summer.
Get the look: 'Start by applying a gel liner in black around the whole eye, keeping the line thinner underneath,' advises make-up artist Leonard Daly. 'Mac's Blacktrack Fluideline is one of my favourites - Maybelline also do a great liner which comes with a brush. Don't worry about getting a perfect line as you will be blending it later.
'Next, apply a warm-coloured eye shadow with a large brush, bringing it into the inner corner socket of your eye. Finally, apply a highly reflective eye shadow for a metallic finish. My favourite range is Armani Eyes To Kill - they're super shiny without being too sparkly. Blend above and under the eye and finish with lashings of mascara for extra drama.'





Dark metallic silver-grey shadow looks great on darker skin tones and is a great way to give the trend a modern twist.
Get the look: 'Apply a cream base for long-lasting wear all over the eyelid,' says award-winning make-up artist Lan Nguyen. 'I like Kryolan Aquacolor Soft Cream in silver.'
'To create contrast apply strong black liner along the inner waterline and the top lash line - the stronger the line the more dramatic the look. Apply liquid liner for increased definition and add false corner lashes for extra volume.'












































Metallic eye shadows are very easy to apply and will give your eyes a sultry modern look with little effort, says Sarah Reygate (@sarah8leesworld), the celebrity make-up artist behind the lovely fresh-faced Elle Macpherson.
'Due to the fact they are light reflective you can apply them quiet heavily. Apply a block of colour, sweeping it on with a brush and use the tip of your finger to pat and soften the edge.
'I love Chanel Illusion D'ombre, a luminous eye shadow in a fantastic grey called Illusoire; it really does suit everyone. For even more impact, outline your eyes in black or dark grey kohl then blend the edges with metallic eye shadow as far up or as winged out as you want to go.'





For a beautiful day-to-night look, try wearing the trend for metallics in softer, brown shades.

'Mila's eyes are lifted and given a wider feline look with darker drown shades that have been blended outwards to the brow bone,' says Lan.
Get the look: 'Apply a gold metallic sheen eye shadow all over the eyelid, such as Bobbi Brown in Burnt Sugar,' says Lan. 'Next, sweep a deeper chocolate mauve colour across the lids outwards to brow bone - I like Bobbi Brown shimmer wash eye shadow in Chocolate. Finally, use a wet gel liner gel (such as Bobbi Brown Twilight Long wear gel Liner) to create depth and smudge along the lash line for a sexy, smouldering look.'







'Metallic lipsticks are great mixed into any lip shade to give a sexy night time look,' says make-up artist Julia Francis.
'If you decide to wear a metallic shade alone without mixing, it's important to choose one that blends well with your skin tone as they can often highlight creases and wrinkles in the lips. Keeping your lips well moisturised before applying also helps.
'I love Bobbi Brown's selection of metallic lipsticks - they have three gorgeous shades in particular: Coral Reef, Calipso Glaze and Baby Peach.'


For a twist on the classic metallic eye look, take a tip from Paris Hilton who combines natural soft colours with darker shades for a dramatic effect.
Get the look: 'Apply a cream colour base for even coverage on the eyelid (such as Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye in white), then apply soft grey brown hues in the socket for natural contour. I like Bourjois Smoky Eye Trio Lady Vert De Gris,' says Lan. 'Build up with darker colours in the outer corners, bringing only half way under the lash line. For a doll-eye look, apply a highlighter pencil (such as Shu Uemura Eyelight Pencil in white) in the water rim of the eye.'




'Metallic colours work best against a light reflective foundation,' says Leonard. 'My favourite is the new Touche Éclat foundation from YSL - it looks like your face is glowing from within and gets better as the day goes on.
'I find it best to apply foundation with your fingers, that way you use less product than applying with a brush. Once your base is done, it's time to have fun with metallics.
'Using a highlighter, apply some product in a large 'C' shape from above your brow bone to your cheek bone, this gives your face a wonderful sheen, leaving it looking healthy and youthful. As you get older I recommend using products with less sparkle in them. I adore Kevyn Aucoin's Candlelight - it's ultra-soft and shimmery without having that glittery look.'



Rhianna loves to experiment with her look and this one certainly isn't for the faint hearted. 'It looks fantastic, but if you have any lines under your eyes it's one to avoid,' warns Leonard.
Get the look: 'Apply a classic winged liner, then get a highly reflective eye shadow and apply to the whole lid - choosing a shade to enhance your eye colour. Barry M do a cool range of eyeliners and shadows in metallic colours with reflective pigments.
'Now pick a bright metallic colour pigment and using a flat eye shadow brush, apply under your eye. Apply some dramatic falsies - She Uemera do some of the most daring lashes I've found. Use a good quality lash glue as it lasts better and feels more secure. I always use Duo Glue, available in MAC stores.'







Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Beckham ready for role


David Beckham is expected to be one of the final torch bearers inside the Olympic Stadium for the opening ceremony on Friday - but he will not be lighting the flame.
The former England footballer confirmed that he will have a part in the ceremony and that the flame might be involved. It is understood however that the 37-year-old will not be the person who lights the cauldron.
The opening ceremony is expected to have a final torch relay inside the stadium, as has happened with all recent Olympic Games, with a number of sports stars, former Olympians and others selected for their contribution to the London Games carrying the torch before the flame is lit.

David Beckham would not give anything away when asked about his role in Friday's ceremony


David Beckham would not give anything away when asked about his role in Friday's ceremony


The identity of the person who will actually light the flame remains a closely-guarded secret.
Beckham told CNN: "I'm excited to be part of such a huge occasion for our country. It's exciting to have the Games in the east end of London and I'm very honoured to be part of that."
Asked if a flame was involved, Beckham added: "I think I might have one aboard."
Beckham was part of the London bid team that won the right to host the Games in Singapore in 2005 and he said he was proud to see the Olympics actually happening in his home city.
"It was seven years when this whole process started and to bring the Games to the part of London where I grew up is so exciting," he said. "I was at the stadium yesterday and it really is incredible to see the changes that have happened there and around about.
"There will be a few events I'm hoping to get to and take my kids to so it should be fun."
Meanwhile, IOC member Dick Pound warned London 2012 organisers of the danger of the opening ceremony march-past becoming a "shambles" if athletes spent too much time taking photos and posting them on social media sites.

GB women's football start with win


Stephanie Houghton, centre, scores the free-kick that won Team GB the game
Stephanie Houghton, centre, scores the free-kick that won Team GB the game
Stephanie Houghton gave Great Britain Olympic lift-off in Cardiff with the only goal in a 1-0 victory over New Zealand.
In front of a record international crowd in the UK for a women's football game, the 24-year-old curled home a superb second-half free-kick to give the home side a win that puts them on track for a place in the last eight of the 12-team competition.
Durham-born Houghton's goal secured a deserved win for Hope Powell's players, who take on Cameroon at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
For 15 minutes, however, Team GB found themselves on the back foot against New Zealand, Hannah Wilkinson proving highly effective for the visitors. That opening period was halfway through before Powell's side managed their first effort on goal, a curling Houghton free-kick which was pushed away by Jenny Bindon.
With Arsenal full-back Alex Scott starting to make her presence felt with regular forays forward from right-back, Great Britain began to get on top. Scott failed to make the most of a decent chance after she had skipped into the box.
Anita Asante went closest to breaking the deadlock after Eniola Aluko's cross dropped to the far post, but there seemed little conviction in the header.
Great Britain continued to create chances following the introduction of Ellen White at half-time as Scott had a goalbound effort blocked by Ali Riley. But to the crowd's delight in the 64th minute, Houghton kept her nerve with a 25-yard free-kick as she curled expertly into the bottom corner.
The cheers of delight were almost equalled by those of relief when a ridiculous mix-up in GB's defence sent Sarah Gregorious clean through. Gregorious panicked though, and rolled a pitiful attempt straight to Karen Bardsley.
The Linkoping goalkeeper was called on again nine minutes from time, when she tipped an Amber Hearn shot over.
GB were not to be denied though as they secured a win that will be acknowledged far beyond the Welsh capital.

Overfinch reveals £89,995 Range Rover Evoque

Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)
Famed Range Rover tuner Overfinch is the latest firm to release a tuned Evoque model - and it's launched its 2012 GTS range with the reveal of a dramatic £89,995 vehicle based on the Evoque Dynamic Plus Coupe. 




Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)

Are there any mechanical changes to the Overfinch Evoque? 
Not yet: Overfinch currently uses the stock diesel and petrol engines, meaning the most powerful diesel produces 190hp and the sole petrol version produces 240hp. 
Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)



























What wheels does the Overfinch Evoque GTS use? 
The wheels are 22-inch Overfinch Harrier rims, which are finished in diamond-turned gloss black. 










Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)

What has Overfinch done to the interior of the Evoque? 
The unique seats are trimmed in full Lotus White leather and are adorned with the famous Overfinch logo.




Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)

Does the Overfinch Evoque GTS carry any special branding? 
Overfinch branding is also carried on the front and rear of the Range Rover Evoque - the bonnet leading edge lettering replaces the traditional 'Range Rover' lettering. 








Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)
What else did the Overfinch boss say? 
'The sculpted aero styling of the Evoque 2012 GTS and the 22-inch Harrier alloy wheels are tasteful but significant additions that add another dimension and a level of exclusivity to an already outstanding car.'




Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)

Does Overfinch have form with Range Rover? 
Overfinch rightly calls itself the original Range Rover tuner: it's been doing this since 1975. It is dedicated solely to Land Rover and operates worldwide. 


Overfinch Range Rover Evoque revealed (© Overfinch)

Didn't Overfinch hit trouble a while back? 
It did, but today's Overfinch is owned by Autobrokers Ltd of Leeds. It acquired the business and its assets in 2010 and is now set on relaunching the famous brand - and the dramatic Overfinch Evoque GTS is to form a key part of this revival. Order books are open now and deliveries will commence from the autumn.