The Olympic flame was held aloft at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday, two days before its marathon journey around Britain comes to an end with a starring role in the London 2012 opening ceremony. Gordon Banks, England's goalkeeper when they won the 1966 football World Cup at Wembley, carried the torch along Olympic Way in front of the national stadium in north-west London.
The torch relay is on the 68th day of its 8,000-mile (12,875-kilometre) journey around Britain. Since the flame began its final, seven-day tour around the Olympic host city on Saturday, an estimated 2.3 million Londoners have come out onto the streets to show their support.
"The sheer enthusiasm and support shown by the people of London for the Olympic torch relay over the last four days has been nothing short of exhilarating," said London Mayor Boris Johnson. The flame also visited Wembley Arena, the London 2012 badminton venue, where it was carried by Nathan Robertson, Britain's badminton mixed doubles silver medallist at the Athens 2004 Games.