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Thousands of people are expected to cheer Britain's Olympic heroes on their victory parade in London.

For the first time Olympic and Paralympic athletes will take part together in today's salute, marking Britain's impressive performances in Beijing this summer.

It means that up to 500 sport stars, including Olympic gold medallists like sprinter Christine Ohuruogu, cyclist Rebecca Romero and 13-year-old double Paralympic champion swimmer Eleanor Simmonds, may take part.

Chris Hoy (pictured), triple Olympic cycling champ from Beijing, said: "The parade is the big one. We are all looking forward to it. Hopefully the weather will hold."

Thousands of sports fans and well-wishers are expected to flock to the city, where the parade will begin in front of the Mansion House at 11am.

The athletes, who will be packed on to 12 floats, will pass several landmarks during the parade.

They will travel down Queen Victoria Street and past St Paul's Cathedral.

They will head down Fleet Street, past the Royal Courts of Justice and down the Strand.

The first float is due to arrive in Trafalgar Square at about 12.30pm.

If the scenes from the jubilant 2004 parade are repeated, the crowds could swell as cheering office workers time their lunchtime breaks to coincide with the passing parade.

Team GB won 19 golds at the Beijing Olympics to finish fourth in the medal table with a haul of 47 medals.

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

ParalympicsGB won 102 medals, including 42 golds, to finish second in the medals table behind the Chinese host nation.

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

British Olympic Association chairman Lord 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."

Team GB's and ParalympicsGB's all-conquering cyclists will be leading the parade.

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

Rowers, who between them have can boast no fewer than 22 Olympic medals, are on the next float.

They will be joined by Paralympic rowing champions 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.

London's own Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu and two-time Paralympic gold medallist David Weir will be among the track and field stars on the next three floats.

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

Team GB'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-times Paralympic gold medallist Dave Roberts.

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