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The official UK broadcaster of the event will be showing over 150 hours of action during the Games and has put together a groundbreaking group of on-screen personalities to front the coverage.

It will be the biggest broadcasting event in Channel 4's 30-year history and the most extensive UK coverage that has ever been dedicated to the Paralympic Games.

In line with Channel 4's vision on winning the rights for the Games, half the presenters and reporters in the line-up will be disabled, with seven coming from the search for disabled presenters in 2010 that C4 committed £500,000 towards.

A mix of broadcasting heavyweights and new faces, including disabled talent - C4's Jay Hunt 

Irish presenter Daraine Mulvihill and former Royal Marine Arthur Williams are two of the new presenters chosen from hundreds of hopefuls in the nationwide search and who have been put through rigorous training.

They will be joined by ex-Paralympic swimmer Rachael Latham, sports reporter and wheelchair basketball player Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, ex-carpenter Martin Dougan, researcher Liam Holt and sports journalist Alex Brooker. 

Familiar faces include former GB wheelchair basketball star Ade Adepitan and regular C4 and E4 presenter Rick Edwards - presenters of That Paralympic Show.

Channel 4 has also signed up experienced broadcasters in Clare Balding and former Olympic triple-jump champion Jonathan Edwards to their team.

Disabled Australian comedian Adam Hills, who co-hosted ABC’s live coverage of the 2008 Paralympics, will also be part of the team, while Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow will present the Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies.

Experienced sports broadcasters Kelly Cates and Georgie Bingham will be new faces to Channel 4. 

This is a 400% increase on the coverage The Paralympics has ever received in this country - Jay Hunt 

Further key names are to be added to the core presenting team, which will be supported by a number of reporters, commentators and pundits including experienced sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan, former Paralympic athlete Danny Crates, ex-Paralympic swimmer Giles Long and ex-Olympic 400m runner Iwan Thomas. 

Jay Hunt, Chief Creative Officer at Channel 4, said: "Being the broadcaster of the London 2012 Paralympic Games is a huge privilege and an opportunity for us to really make a difference to the perception of disability and disability sport in this country. 

"I'm thrilled to announce this brilliant and carefully selected team of presenters and reporters; a mix of broadcasting heavyweights and new faces, including disabled talent.

"Our coverage will contain in-depth analysis and intelligent, frank and thought-provoking insight from people who are equipped to bring these incredible - but little understood - sports to a broad mainstream audience.

"We will be on air before the sport of the day begins and until the last flag has been rolled up and put away with all the action, expert comment and analysis and specially commissioned breakfast and tea-time shows. 

"This is a 400% increase on the coverage The Paralympics has ever received in this country and will make it impossible to ignore."

For all your latest news ahead of the 2012 Paralympics, follow @C4Paralympics on Twitter and like the C4Paralympics Facebook page.