Veteran rockers The Who have been signed for the ­closing ceremony of the ­London Olympics.

They will be the star attraction of a musical extravaganza which will mark the ­handover of the Olympic torch from London to Rio de Janeiro.

The event will also coincide with The Who’s 50th anniversary.

The band’s surviving members – singer Roger Daltrey, 68, and guitarist Pete Townshend, 67 – were asked to take part by Take That producer Kim Gavin, the man in charge of the ceremony.

A source close to The Who, originally famed for smashing up their ­instrum­ents on stage, said: “When you’ve been around as long as The Who it can seem like you’ve seen and done it all.

“But the ­opportunity to play the biggest show on earth was too good to turn down, and Roger and Pete are delighted to be involved.”

Original members Daltrey, ­Townshend and John Entwistle began as The ­Detours in 1962 and changed their name to The Who after drummer Keith Moon joined in 1964. Moon died at 32 in 1978 and Entwistle at 57 in 2002.

The show is likely to follow a major world tour by ­Daltrey and ­Townshend.

The group already have one Olympic connection... they recorded hit ­albums Who’s Next and Who Are You at London’s Olympic Studios in the 1970s.