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Two Britons have been arrested in Beijing for hanging Tibetan flags and banners outside the Olympic stadium. The Free Tibet 2008 website said the two Britons being held are Iain Thom, 24, from Edinburgh and Lucy Marion, 23, who grew up in Cambridge and now lives in London. The protest group, Students for a Free Tibet, said two US activists were also detained. They had hung up two 140-square-foot banners which read "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet", and the other "Tibet Will Be Free" in English and "Free Tibet" in Chinese. The protest happened ahead of the arrival of the Olympic Torch in Tiananmen Square, and two days before the Olympics opening ceremony takes place at the stadium. The British Embassy in the Chinese capital said it was investigating and making efforts to get access to the pair, who are members of the group Students for a Free Tibet. Mr Thom is 'grassroots co-ordinator' for Students for a Free Tibet UK (SFT-UK) and has just finished working for Friends of the Earth Scotland, according to the website. Ms Marion recently graduated from Bristol University. The website states she visited Tibet in 2003 and has since been dedicated to standing in solidarity with Tibetans in their struggle for freedom and human rights. The website names the two Americans as Phill Bartell, 34, from Boulder, Colorado and Tirian Mink, 32, from Portland, Oregon. Students for a Free Tibet said Mr Thom and Mr Bartell were arrested after scaling 120ft high streetlights near the Bird's Nest stadium to unfurl their banners. The organisation said the activists were detained by Chinese authorities after displaying their message for nearly an hour and their current whereabouts is unknown. Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, described the four as "brave young activists". She said: "For years, the Chinese government has tried to use the Olympics to legitimise its illegal occupation of Tibet. "At this very moment, Tibetans are facing the most severe and violent repression they have seen in decades at the hands of the Chinese government, and we have taken non-violent action at this critical time to draw the world's attention to the crisis gripping Tibet." Elsewhere, police banned US swimmer Amanda Beard from holding a pro-animal rights news conference. She instead took to the street to unveil a nude photo of herself saying "Don't wear fur". And three Americans shouted slogans decrying forced abortions and religious repression in China before police intervened. In Tiananmen Square, euphoric Chinese crowds chanted "Go Olympics, Go Beijing" as the flame ended its troubled global relay. Overall, the mood is now one of mounting excitement, with most of the 10,500 athletes from 205 countries in town. China's most famous sportsmen, 7ft 6in basketball player Yao Ming, said he was overwhelmed as he held the flame above a sea of beaming faces. He said: "After lighting it, my mind went blank, and then I just wanted to hurry up running ahead."