HUNDREDS of choir singers will be heralding the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with an open-air performance on Weymouth Beach.

With less than a week until the official opening ceremony of the home Games, details of the borough’s celebrations have been announced.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is inviting people to come and watch the opening ceremony of the Games live from London on Friday, July 27 on two giant screens at Weymouth Beach’s Live Site.

The site will open to the public from 1pm and between 2pm and 8pm people will be able to enjoy singing performances from the mass choral project Coastal Voices while soaking up the Olympic atmosphere in the build up to the ceremony.

The main ceremony will start at 9pm with a fireworks display over Weymouth Bay. The free Live Site at the Pavilion end of Weymouth Beach will be able to entertain up to 15,000 people at a time, although access will be closely controlled and managed.

Thousands of people are expected, after the large crowds who braved the wet weather last week to line the routes of the Olympic Torch Relay through Dorset.

Weymouth and Portland has been decked with banners, flags, bunting, flowers and other display materials as the borough prepares to take on its status as host venue for the London 2012 sailing events. Park district resident Debbie Peach, 49, will be among the 300-strong Weymouth choir singers taking part.

She said: “I never thought that I would find myself being able to stand on a stage and sing to an expected television audience of four billion people around the world – it’s just amazing.

“It’s only happening because the Olympic sailing events are going to be in Weymouth, it would never have happened otherwise.

“It’s giving everyone a real sense of achievement.”

She added: “We did our first run-through with all the other choirs at the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole earlier this month and got a standing ovation. Weymouth is going to be the first choir to sing.

“I think it’s going to be good.

“We just hope the weather stays nice.”

Councillor Mike Goodman, chairman of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council ’s management committee said: “We are very much looking forward to the start of the Olympics and will be playing our part to deliver a safe and enjoyable Games time for residents and visitors in Weymouth and Portland.”

The council has recruited a team of around 500 Weymouth and Portland ambassadors to welcome visitors and give out information and advice at key locations during the 2012 celebrations. To find out more visit dorsetforyou.com/sailing2012 or follow @sailing_2012 on Twitter

Events will be screened live

THE Weymouth & Portland Live Site will be screening the London 2012 sailing events from July 29 to August 11, from noon until 6pm each day.

The site will also be used to screen other Olympic sporting competitions, especially in the evenings when some of the key athletic events will be held.

Coastal Voices is a part of the Maritime Mix Cultural Olympiad of the Sea programme of 80 plus events happening in Weymouth and Portland in celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A total of 95 per cent of the events will be free to members of the public. Find out more at maritimemix2012.co.uk