Young Olympic singing star mimed

A nine-year-old Chinese girl who performed at the Olympics opening ceremony was miming, it has emerged.

Lin Miaoke was seen belting out Ode to the Motherland at the event on Friday, but viewers were unaware that the vocals were being provided by seven-year-old Yang Peiyi.

The ceremony's musical director Chen Qigang made the confession during an interview with Beijing Radio station. He explained that, while organisers were hoping for an impressive vocal performance, they also required a girl with a "flawless" appearance.

"After several tests, we decided to put Lin Miaoke on the live picture, while using Yang Peiyi's voice," Chen confirmed.

He added: "The reason for this is that we must put our country's interest first. The girl appearing on the picture must be flawless in terms of her facial expression and the great feeling she can give to people."

The opening ceremony was watched by more than 5 million viewers in the UK on Friday.