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20 October 2011

Lancashire announced for London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Route

THE official route for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay will include a trip through Lancashire – it has been announced.

The route in Lancashire will travel through Chorley and Ormskirk, before moving on later to Morecambe, Lancaster, Garstang, Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, Preston, Accrington, Burnley and Rawtenstall.

The Chairman of the Lancashire County Council, Geoffrey Roper marked the announcement of this iconic event in Morecambe – which will be visited on the middle day of the 70-day Torch Relay.

County Councillor Roper and the Mayor of Lancaster Paul Woodruff marked the announcement next to another world famous icon – the Eric Morecambe statue.

They were joined by some of Lancashire's rising sports stars including Ben Whipp, an athlete and javelin thrower, and Bea Fletcher who plays ice hockey and inline roller hockey. Ben and Bea are also two of the nominee Torch Bearers from Lancashire.

Chairman Geoffrey Roper said: "I am delighted Lancashire has been chosen for the Torch Relay, which will be seen by people around the world. 

"The people of Lancashire are thrilled that as the Torch Relay travels around the world it will pass through our historic county of Lancashire and people are sure to turn out along the route to cheer it on its way.

"This will be the start of a most memorable year for Lancashire and England."

The Lancashire leg of the 70-day tour originally only included one day. Following discussions with LOCOG this has been increased to three days and more than many other parts of the country.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: "This is the UK’s moment to shine and I want to encourage people across Lancashire to start planning how they can be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity and show their support for the inspirational Torchbearers chosen to carry the Olympic Flame as we count down to the start of the Olympic Games."

Over 1,000 villages, towns and cities have been announced by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) through which the Olympic Flame will be carried by Torchbearers during the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay which is presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.

LOCOG has worked closely with representatives from a number of sectors in Lancashire to devise the route.

The 70-day Olympic Torch Relay, will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of 19 May 2012. On leaving Land’s End, the Olympic Flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK giving thousands of communities and individuals their moment to shine as the Olympic Flame comes to a place near them.

The route through Lancashire:

Friday 1 June:  Coming from Horwich through Chorley, Euxton, Burscough and Ormskirk. The relay continues on to Southport.

Friday 22 June: Heading from Cumbria to Carnforth, Bolton-le-Sands, Hest Bank, Morecambe, Lancaster, Garstang, St Michael's on Wyre and Fleetwood. The relay continues on to Blackpool.

Saturday 23 June: Starting in Lytham St Anne's visiting Warton and Preston. The relay then travels through Blackburn to Accrington, Burnley, Crawshawbooth and Rawtenstall. It will then continue on to Rochdale.

ENDS

Notes to editors

About the Torch Relay:

In announcing the villages, towns and cities LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic Flame to within an hour’s journey time of 95% of the population. In fact, over 95% of the population will be within just 10 miles of the Olympic Flame next summer. The street by street detail of the route will be confirmed next year.

The Olympic Flame will be carried across the UK by 8,000 inspirational Torchbearers each of whom will have a story of personal achievement and/or contribution to the local community. In December this year, successful nominees will be contacted with a conditional offer and final Torchbearer places will start to be confirmed from February 2012 onwards.

Today LOCOG launches two new public participation programmes. The ‘Local Leaders’ initiative is an invitation to people to take the 2012 Games into their community and create their own celebrations next year, for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. People are encouraged to sign up to the Local Leader programme at www.london2012.com/localleaders to receive further information on a range of themed celebration ideas focusing on the Opening Ceremony evening, gardening, quizzes and barbecues and be in the front row to receive free London 2012 event materials to support events.

Also launched today is the ‘Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay’ education resource, available to all schools registered with Get Set, London 2012’s official education programme. The aim of the resource is to provide schools with cross-curricular resources aimed at teachers working with 3 to 16 year olds to aid learning around history of Olympic Torch Relays, the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and the Torch itself. A further education resource will launch next year to encourage schools to plan a welcome for the Olympic Flame and show support for the Torchbearers.   Lloyds TSB, official Education Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, have launched their Flame Followers schools programme which compliments the Get Set resources, and gives schools once-in-a-lifetime opportunities be right at the heart of the excitement and celebrations of the Relay.

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