Paralympics 2012 opening ceremony – in pictures

Fireworks light up the stadium Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

British physicist, Professor Stephen Hawking speaking at the opening ceremony Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

A giant umbrella appears to explode as it represents the Big Bang Photograph: Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

Athletes from Brazil soak up the atmosphere Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Artists perform with umbrellas suspended from wires above the stadium floor Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

A book fashioned as a giant water wheel enters the stadium as a choir performs Principia by Errollyn Wallen Photograph: Dennis Grombkowski/Getty Images

Servicemen and women from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force carry the Union Flag Photograph: Scott Heavey/Getty Images

A giant apple symbolises Isaac Newton's discovery of gravity Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Artists perform during the opening ceremony Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images

Performers with more umbrellas Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

A general view as the Union Flag is raised Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

The great and even greater in the VIP boxes at the opening ceremony Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Miranda, a character from The Tempest by William Shakespeare watches the opening ceremony Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

German athletes wave as they arrive in the stadium Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The Mexican team wearing brightly coloured ponchos Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

A member of Belgium's team holds a dog as she enters the Olympic Stadium Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Colombian athletes wearing stripey sun hats take photographs of each other Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Canadian team enter the Olympic Stadium Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Great Britain's athletes enter the Olympic Stadium Photograph: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

The Paralympic flame is carried by Royal Marine Joe Townsend into the stadium on a zip wire Photograph: Scott Heavey/Getty Images

The cauldron is lit by Margaret Maughan, who won Britain's first ever Paralympic medal in Rome Photograph: Tom Jenkins for The Guardian

The cauldron burns in the Olympic Stadium Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Fireworks light up the stadium as a large scale reproduction of Marc Quinn's celebrated sculpture, Alison Lapper Pregnant, emerges in the final scenes Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images