The move comes just over a year after Channel 4 were unexpectedly awarded the rights to broadcast the 2012 Paralympics in a deal worth more than £5 million.

Channel 4 beat off BSkyB and the BBC for the broadcast rights for the 2012 Paralympics although the BBC had shown every Paralympics since the Arnhem 1980 Games and invested several million pounds into promoting disability sport.

Channel 4 are set to broadcast over 150 hours of live coverage of the Games, an increase of 400 per cent compared to the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, and for the period of the London 2012 Games, Channel 4 will effectively be re-branded the Paralympic channel

But the silver lining for the BBC, the Olympic broadcaster, is that they now have now secured the radio rights for the London 2012 Paralympics and therefore still be playing a major role in covering the biggest disability sporting competition on the planet.

Twenty-five hours of programmes and news from the 2012 Paralympics will be broadcast on 5 live, with commentary and analysis on 5 live sports extra.

Dave Gordon, Head of Major Events for BBC Sport, told insidethegames: "We are obviously delighted to secure the radio rights for the London 2012 Paralympics.

"Radio 5 live is undoubtedly the leading radio station for sport in the Britain and it is fantastic that it will be the radio station that covers the 2012 Paralympic Games.

"Having covered the Paralympics since the 1980, we remain as committed as ever to bringing our listeners all of the sporting stories, capturing the human drama and raising awareness of Paralympic sport."

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said: "The BBC has been a great champion of the Paralympic Movement, and many of our iconic sporting memories are from the BBC's radio coverage of the world's biggest sporting events.

"Radio 5 live is a brilliant sports broadcaster and a perfect radio partner."

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Britain's most recognisable Paralympian having won Paralympic 16 medals in her career, including 11 golds, also backed the decision.

"This is fantastic news," said Baroness Tanni who worked as a presenter for BBC at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand last month.

"Radio 5 are live is undoubtedly one of the top radio stations in Britain and what is particularly great is that the BBC will be able to cover all the regional stories as well as the national and intentional stories."

Jane Jones, Director of Communications at ParalympicsGB, added that her organisation was equally thrilled with the announcement.

"We're delighted that BBC Radio 5 Live has been awarded the radio rights for the London 2012 Paralympic Games," said Jones.

"We know they'll do a fantastic job of covering the Games and the British team's exploits.

"We're looking forward to working closely with them in the run up to the most important Games in our history."

The London 2012 Paralympics will take place from August 29 – September 9 and feature 20 sports.

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