Security tightened at Lord's

Security will be tightened for Sunday's one-day cricket international between England and Australia and the British Formula One Grand Prix after more than 50 people were killed in Thursday's bomb blasts in London.

A spokeswoman for the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the match at Lord's in central London would go ahead with metal detectors employed to search spectators.

"There will be an increased police presence and everyone and their bags will be searched," she said.

Security has also been stepped up at Silverstone, venue of the Grand Prix, with cars and bags searched at entrance points.

"I think I speak on behalf of everyone involved in Formula One, that we are obviously deeply shocked and saddened by what has happened in London," said BAR's Jenson Button, the only English Formula One driver.

"It is obviously a difficult way to start the weekend for everyone, but we are going to try to put the best show on we can for the fans in the situation we have."

Four blasts hit packed London underground trains and a double-decker bus at rush hour early on Thursday, killing more than 50 people.

The world's top golfers, preparing for the British Open starting at St Andrews in Scotland next Thursday, are hoping for greater police protection with U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand expressing his concern.

CONCERNS

Campbell, who won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst last month and who plans to travel to St Andrews on Sunday, said: "I am heading to St Andrews with genuine concerns.

"I have a good friend who was one of the chief security personnel at the last Olympics in Athens and he attended one of the golf majors and was appalled at the shortcomings in security."

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The chief superintendent of the local police force, the Fife's Eastern Division, said a detailed plan was in place.

"We are confident that this is suitable to cope with any incident at the event," Alan Maich said in a statement.

The British and Irish Lions' final rugby test match against New Zealand in Auckland will go ahead after both sides agreed they were "not going to bow to terrorism".

The International Olympic Committee, meeting in Singapore, held a minute's silence on Friday with its president Jacques Rogge saying: "The IOC was appalled by the barbaric attack on the heart of London."

The London bid team, which won the IOC vote to stage the 2012 Olympic Games, cancelled their planned celebrations on Thursday and flew home on Friday.

On mainland Europe, Tour de France cyclists held a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the explosions before the start of Friday's stage at Luneville.

Six times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong called the attacks "shameless terror".

"Once again a free society has been struck by needless and shameless terror," he said. "We've all had enough."