London's bid team back in Britain

I feel devastated - my emotions over the last 24 hours have gone from one extreme to another Sir Steve Redgrave

Leading officials from London's 2012 Olympic bid team arrived back in Britain from Singapore on Friday.

Bid leader Lord Coe, Mayor Ken Livingstone and ministers Tessa Jowell and Richard Caborn touched down at Heathrow Airport at around 1230 BST.

Ambassadors Sir Steve Redgrave, Denise Lewis, Daley Thompson and Colin Jackson have already landed in sombre mood.

London won the right to host the 2012 Olympics on Wednesday, but Thursday's bomb blasts saw celebrations cut short.

Plans for a victory homecoming, and news conference, were abandoned as a result, Jowell saying they would be "completely inappropriate in view of this appalling tragedy."

Redgrave, five-times gold medal-winning rower, said the mood on the plane had been very subdued and he had slept little.

"It's been pretty incredible. It's a feeling of devastation, my emotions over the last 24 hours have gone from one extreme to another."

Redgrave said security had always been a high priority within the bid plans and insisted the budget already took major security measures into account.

"Security is a big issue whatever the situation is. All the bid cities are on the highest priority for security and it was always in the budget."

About £200m will be spent on security - although that is less than half that spent at the Athens Games.

Denise Lewis, the gold medal-winning heptathlete, spoke of her "devastation" at the news and Simon Clegg, chief executive of the British Olympic Association, expressed his heartache over the London bomb blasts.

"It's very difficult time. Our hearts are with the victims and their families," he said.

Livingstone, Jowell, Coe and Caborn were due to arrive back in the UK around midday after the flight they were originally due to fly back on was cancelled due to mechanical failure.

Earlier, the 115 Olympic officials in Singapore were asked by IOC president Jacques Rogge to stand and observe a minute's silence in memory of those killed in London at the start of a meeting.

Olympic officials honour London victims