A ceremonial cauldron was lit in Trafalgar Square this morning to mark the start of the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay.

Claire Lomas – who is paralysed from the chest down and recently raised £204,000 for Spinal Research by walking the London Marathon – lit the cauldron using the English Flame, which was created by a group of Scouts at Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Mayor of London Boris Johnson watched the lighting ceremony.

David Cameron said, “This is shaping up to be the best, the biggest, the most incredible Paralympic Games ever. We are going to see thousands of athletes giving their all and we are going to see what the Paralympics are all about. We are going to show the world that, when it comes to putting on a show, there is no country like Britain and no city like London.”

During the event, 26 Flame Ambassadors from different parts of Britain collected a splinter of the flame in a lantern to take back to Flame Celebrations across the country.

On 28 August, the English Flame, together with flames from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will be taken to Stoke Mandeville, the home of the Paralympic movement, where they will be combined to create the Paralympic Flame.

Later that evening, there will be a 24-hour Torch Relay from Stoke Mandeville to the Olympic Stadium for the start of the Games.

The Paralympic Games run from 29 August to 9 September. Trafalgar Square will be turned into a BT London Live site showing all the action on a big screen.

Here, thanks to intrepid camera-wielding VL staff member Madelene, are some fantastic shots of the London Marathon.

Were you there? Running or cheering? Tell us your marathon stories in the comments below. And if you have any pictures you’d like to share, just add them to our flickrpool.

Hands up who watched yesterday’s Virgin London Marathon with a mixture of guilt and wonder at whether you could ever manage 26 miles?

Did the marathon inspire you to put on your running shoes and head out in the sun, or to dig out your dusty gym card?

Well, you don’t have to wait until next year’s marathon to tackle a sporting challenge. London’s got plenty of sporty events going on in the next few months, and now’s the perfect time to start your training.

Ladies can have fun and raise money for a good cause with Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life events, taking place all over London. Walk, run or jog your way round a 5k or 10k course and enjoy the fun atmosphere and support along the way.

The BUPA London 10,000 will give you the chance to run past some of London’s finest landmarks (just like the marathon.) Entry to 2010 is now closed but there are still some charity places available.

And if running’s not your thing, how about swimming a mile near to Canary Wharf and Docklands for the British Gas Great London Swim in July?

Or the most hardcore cyclists among you could try the Dunwich Dynamo – a 200k overnight ride from London to the Suffolk Coast – phew!

Let us know where you’ll be running, swimming, cycling, skating or generally sweating your way to sporting success in London. We might even be there to cheer you on!

Here’s a few weekend ideas to get you started:

• St George’s Day Celebrations in London: I spotted people dressed in knightly garb proudly emblazoned with the St George’s cross (collecting money for war heroes) on my way to VL Towers this morning, and I’m sure tomorrow will provide more of the same! Find out more about the free festival in Trafalgar Square.
• Ether Festival at the Southbank Centre: this annual festival of music and arts finishes on Sunday, but pitch along this evening for the ultra-cool Berlin Sounds, where you’ll get to hear the cream of Berlin’s underground music scene.
• Virgin London Marathon: if you’re running it, good luck! If you’re heading along to cheer the competitors, don’t forget the sunscreen.
• East End Film Festival: see great films in some of London’s coolest venues.
• Pick Me Up: Contemporary Graphic Art Fair: snap up edgy prints, books, T-shirts and more at Somerset House.
• Plus, with the weather forecast to  reach 17°C over the weekend, there’s all of London’s parks and outdoor spaces to explore. So get out there and enjoy it!