The Special Olympics: goalkeeper David James, Team GB organiser Keith Wilcox and former Southampton manager Lawrie McMenemy waved the team off from Heathrow Airport.

For many of the athletes, the trip to Shanghai is an experience of a lifetime.

Two of the British athletes entertain themselves in the airport before embarking on the long flight.

A select group of the Team GB athletes prepare to make the 11 hour journey to China.

Team GB arrived in Shanghai early on the morning of Wednesday 26 September.

The British athletes were given the red carpet treatment by the Chinese authorities upon arrival in Shanghai.

One of the Scottish athletes, Craig Sherrat, will be competing in the badminton competition.

A Chinese bass band greeted the British athletes with a fanfare when they arrived in the city on Wednesday afternoon.

The Chinese band welcomed the athletes with some traditional music.

A troupe of Chinese dancers opened the media centre next to Shanghai's 80,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.

BBC Sport presenter John Beattie was intereviewed for Shanghai TV (STV).

The streets of China's largest city are packed with people, bicycles, cars and motorcycles.

Shanghai's impressive skyline greets visitors on the approach to the sprawling metropolis.

The Special Olympics mascot is called Sunshine Sanmao, modelled on a famous Chinese cartoon character.