Erika Tham will hand the former England captain a ball during the closing ceremony which he will then kick off a red double-decker bus into the crowd at the Bird's Nest Stadium, the London Free Press in Canada reported today.

 

She will also appear alongside the X-Factor winner Leona Lewis.

 

Tham, a budding young actress, spends half the year in Beijing and the other half in London.

 

Tham told the London Free Press: "I was screaming my head off and shouting.

 

"I was so happy and excited about being chosen to take part in the ceremony.

 

"I felt like, 'Wow, wow.

 

"'One girl gets to do this and that's me,'."

 

The newspaper reported that Tham was nominated after someone saw her perform in a production of Oliver in China.

 

Her mother Kathy Janssen, a Canadian who grew up in Britain, told the London Free Press: "I'm just excited that Erika gets to do the things she loves.

 

"It's just a great opportunity.

 

"She steps onstage and all her fears disappear.

 

"She's very charismatic."

 

London-based ZooNation will also appear the Royal Ballet and disabled dance group Candoco in an eight-minute performance that will conclude with London Mayor Boris Johnson receiving the flag from his Beijing counterpart to mark the fact that Britain will be the next host of the Games.

 

To read the full article visit http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2008/07/10/6116751-sun.html.