Commonwealth Games open with celebration of host Birmingham

A raging bull, Malala Yousafzai, a Brummie drag queen and Duran Duran all part of opening ceremony

With a 10-metre-tall raging bull, a union jack made from 72 cars, and an appearance by Malala Yousafzai, the Commonwealth Games kicked off on Thursday night with an unashamedly loud celebration of everything Birmingham.

Crammed with references to the host city's history and culture, the two-and-a-half-hour opening ceremony marked the start of Britain's biggest multisport event since the London Olympics.