During the parade at the opening ceremony , each petal was carried by a child accompanying each of the teams as they entered the stadium . The children wore gloves to avoid staining the copper . The petals ( except from the independent athletes ) were then passed secretly to fifteen technicians who , out of sight in the centre of the stadium , fitted them to the ends of the stainless steel stems as they lay flat on the ground . Its location was kept secret until the event ; during the ceremony some people had speculated that it might be hidden under the Glastonbury Tor model at the end of the stadium
opening ceremony
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics cauldron