Olympic light show

There was a touch of gold - and a moment of magic - as the most unusual Christmas lights in years were switched on at Oxford Street.

Five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave was accompanied by four Athens gold medal winners and Harry Potter star Emma Watson as he led the traditional ceremony, on the day London 2012 officials submitted their final bid to host the Games.

Standing outside Selfridges, Sir Steve and Miss Watson drew huge cheers from tens of thousands of spectators as they backed the London bid.

Britain's 4x100m relay team, Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis and Jason Gardener, followed by the rower, then led a countdown from five by introducing their gold medals one by one into clear tubes, before the lights - " space cannons" mounted on nine arches along the street - burst into life through an explosion of glitter.

Shaking with excitement, Watson, 14, said: "That was the coolest, most amazing thing! I have wanted to do this for years." She added: "I would be absolutely thrilled if the Olympics come here."

Sir Steve said: "It's been a great night. To be involved in this is an honour - especially on such a special day. For myself and the 4x100m boys, the Olympics have been the focus of our lives, so to bring it home and share that with the nation would be very special."

Campbell said: "I saw what effect the Games had on the people in Greece and it would be fantastic to have them here."

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "Tonight demonstrates London can put on a great show for its visitors and would be the perfect backdrop for the 2012 Olympics." He added that the lights were "spectacular".

The "space-cannon" beams can be seen from up to 10 miles away and will project the Olympic colours into the sky everyday at

8.12pm (20.12 on the 24-hour clock).

However, shoppers' reactions were mixed. "It's interesting, very original," said Madara Penka, 21, from Latvia. Project manager Emma Crook, 30, from Marble Arch, said: "It looks like something out of a film premiere - it's doesn't feel very Christmas-like."