Olympic and Paralympic athletes will take part together, marking their stunning performances in Beijing this summer when the teams finished fourth and second respectively in their medals tables.

 

It means that up to 500 members of the two teams, including 400 metres gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu, triple champion cyclist Chris Hoy and 13-year-old double Paralympic champion swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, will take part.

 

Hoy said: "The parade is the big one.

 

"We are all looking forward to it.

 

"Hopefully the weather will hold.''

 

The parade, which is being supported by Visa, BT, Lloyds TSB and BP, will begin in front of Mansion House at 11.00am.

 

The athletes will travel on 12 floats an will pass several landmarks during the parade.

 

They will travel down Queen Victoria Street and past St Paul's Cathedral, then heading down Fleet Street, past the Royal Courts of Justice and down the Strand.

 

The first float, which will contain members of Britain's dominant cycling team, is due to arrive in Trafalgar Square at about 12.30pm.

 

Hoy and Romero will be joined by fellow Olympic champions Nicole Cooke and Victoria Pendleton and alongside Paralympic champions Sarah and Barney Storey, Rachel Morris and Simon Richardson, among others, on the first float.

 

Rowers, who between them can boast 22 Olympic medals, are on the next float.

 

They will include Tom Aggar and Helene Raynsford, who became the first athletes to win Paralympic rowing golds, when the sport made its debut at the Games this summer.

 

Ohuruogu and two-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir will be among the track and field athletes on the next three floats.

 

Wheelchair tennis medallists Peter Norfolk and Jamie Burdekin will also be aboard.

 

Britain's first taekwondo medallist Sarah Stevenson and modern pentathlon silver medallist Heather Fell will follow, along with the Olympic and Paralympic equestrian teams - including Beijing triple gold medallist Lee Pearson.

 

Britain's successful sailors, including triple Olympic champion Ben Ainslie, will be joining the party atmosphere on the seventh float.

 

They will be accompanied by gymnasts and wheelchair rugby players.

 

Boxing gold medallist James Degale will follow, along with the archery and badminton players.

 

Another powerhouse performer, canoeing gold and bronze medallist Tim Brabants, will appear on the 10th float.

 

He will be joined by Britain's two Paralympic football teams.

 

Tom Daley, the 14-year-old diving sensation, will be joined on float 11 by 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Dave Roberts.

 

Britain's pair of double gold medal winning swimmers - Rebecca Adlington and Simmonds - will bring up the rear on the final float.

 

Britain won 19 golds at the Beijing Olympics to finish fourth in the medal table with a haul of 47 medals - their best ever performance in a Games held outside London.

 

Britain also boasts its most successful Paralympics team in two decades.

 

They won a remarkable 102 medals, including 42 golds, to finish second in the medals table behind their Chinese hosts.

 

The athletes are due to assemble on the north terrace overlooking the square at approximately 1.15pm.

 

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan said: "It is great that the Olympians and Paralympians can celebrate their greatest results in modern Olympic history.''

 

Phil Lane, chief executive of ParalympicsGB, said: "The ParalympicsGB team had some fantastic performances across the sports at the Beijing Games so it's a fitting tribute that their achievements will be celebrated, alongside those of Britain's Olympians, in this parade.''

 

 

A map of the parade route is available at www.london.gov.uk.