Hundreds of thousands of people have lined the route of a victory parade through London to cheer Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Competitors were also honoured with a flypast over Buckingham Palace, the day after the end of the 2012 Paralympics.
Some 800 competitors travelled on 21 floats which made their way through the city over two hours.
Rower Kath Grainger said "we could never have expected this" and swimmer Ellie Simmonds said it was "amazing".
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At the scene
Claire Heald
BBC 2012
After the thrill of their lorry-top ride through London, the athletes gathered at the centre of their host city took a quieter moment on the steps of the Queen Victoria Memorial.
As Pet Shop Boys played out, it took the track Go West, where the Olympics and Paralympics are headed next for Rio 2016, to get anyone moving.
It's been a summer of going faster, higher and stronger, so it was a strange moment of stillness outside the palace of That Queen, who "leapt" out of That Helicopter to begin Those Games.
You could still hear the roars for the athletes pictured on screen and the ever-thanked volunteers further down the Mall and in Trafalgar Square.
London Mayor Boris Johnson brought the speech laughs.
But unlike the flooded Mall of the Royal Wedding, the closing of the parade took place before "safe" armed forces, emergency services and Team GB support staff.
It was secure, but as the Games finally took a bow from London, it lacked a little of the city's chutzpah the UK had come to know and love.
London 2012: 'We won't forget it'
The event near the Queen Victoria Memorial, which followed the parade, kicked off with a flypast, led by the British Airways plane that initially brought the Olympic flame to the UK.
The celebratory show also featured the Red Arrows, performances from Amy MacDonald, the Pet Shop Boys, and speeches from athletes and the prime minister.
