THE excitement is building for tonight’s Olympic Games opening ceremony — particularly for the family of its artistic director, Danny Boyle.

The Radcliffe-born film-maker’s family, including his sisters Maria and Bernadette, will be in the audience at the Olympic Stadium to watch the £27 million spectacle.

But even they have been kept in the dark about the details of the ceremony, which Danny has said will be based on a “green and pleasant land”.

Maria, who lives in Ramsbottom , said: “I am really looking forward to the opening ceremony. We are all very excited and proud of Danny.

“The details are all being kept under wraps though, even from his family, so we don’t know anything about what will happen.”

She added it would be a “very special day”, made even more poignant because it would have been her father’s birthday today.

Frank Boyle, from Radcliffe, died in February last year, aged 89.

Danny, a former pupil at Thornleigh Salesian College in Astley Bridge, has previously revealed the ceremony will feature a meadow, complete with real animals, grass, and clouds that will rain down.

Other features include the biggest ringing bell in Europe inscribed with lines from Shakespeare, which is rumoured to be played by Mike Oldfield, of Tubular Bells fame.

More than one billion people around the world are expected to watch the ceremony, which will be broadcast on BBC1 from 9pm.