Giant footprint fireworks in Beijing Olympics opening ceremony 'faked'

Millions of people around the world watched a series of 29 giant footprints created by fireworks making their way to the Bird's Nest National Stadium from Tiananmen Square during a dramatic drummed countdown.

But a Chinese newspaper revealed yesterday that the images were in part prepared well in advance by computer graphics because organisers feared they would not be able to fully capture them from the air during live filming.

'Faked': Organisers feared they would not be able to capture the giant footprints from the air during live filming and inserted computer graphics into the coverage

The graphics were created over a period of almost a year and inserted into the coverage electronically at exactly the right moment just in case the fireworks failed, according to the Beijing Times.

Gao Xiaolong, head of the visual effects team for the ceremony, said: "Most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished."

Up in smoke: One of the firework footprints makes its way to the Bird's Nest stadium