Sally Becker: 'My magical night'

Recalling her part lifting the Olympic flag during the ceremony on Friday night, Sally Becker, known as the Angel of Mostar after she risked her life to deliver aid and evacuate children in the Balkan War, said:

"When I was first told that I had been chosen to carry the flag in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 games I thought there must have been some mistake and it wasn't until I met with Danny Boyle that I began to believe it was real.

"We were asked to keep the details to ourselves because they did not plan to release the information until the moment we entered the stadium on the night. Although I knew there would be eight other people involved, it was a complete surprise when I found myself standing alongside Ban Ki Moon.

"There was an explosion of light as we entered the stadium and the atmosphere was incredible as 70,000 people began to cheer. We slowly made our way past the Presidential box and joined Mohammed Ali who was waiting near the mound.

"My heart went out to him, he looked so frail and he could barely stand up but his presence was very important. He has used his fame to inspire young people all over the world. As he grasped the flag I could hear the crowd chanting 'Ali' 'Ali' and there was a sense of something magical in the air.

"We were only in the stadium for a very short while but I will remember every moment for the rest of my life."