Britain’s 2004 Olympic and Paralympic medallists will take part in a parade through central London this lunch time.

Beginning near the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly at around 1.30pm, the parade – which includes double-Olympic champion Kelly Holmes and teenage boxer Amir Khan – will travel towards Piccadilly Circus before further celebrations begin at Trafalgar Square.

Large screens have been erected at the square, showing the parade in action as well as highlights from the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Simon Glegg, chief executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA), said: “The parade provides both the British public and British sport with a unique opportunity to celebrate all that is great about Olympic and Paralympic sport at a crucial time in the bidding process for the 2012 Olympic Games.”

Just last week, doubts were cast over the parade as the BOA fought to resolve a dispute regarding contractual problems with athlete apparel.

The argument began after the BOA insisted that all athletes had to wear the official Adidas-sponsored Team GB kit during the parade, rather than kits provided by individual sponsors.