Praise for town's support of Olympic Torch

Buy photos » The thousand of people who lined the streets of Redditch to welcome the Olympic Torch have been praised by Sebastian Coe. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2712018MMR5

REDDITCH has been praised by the man leading the organisation of London 2012 for its support of the Olympic Torch Relay.

Sebastian Coe, chairman of LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) said they had been 'overwhelmed' by the town's support of the event.

The Torch passed through the borough on Sunday, July 1 as part of its tour of Britain and thousands of people lined the streets to cheer it on.

"There has been a truly spectacular response from the public lining the streets to see the Olympic Flame and supporting all our torchbearers and we were delighted we were able to take the Flame to Redditch," Lord Coe said in a letter to Redditch MP Karen Lumley.

"We were overwhelmed by the levels of excitement and enthusiasm greeting the Flame in Redditch and would like to thank you and Redditch Borough Council for your support in championing the Relay locally."

Lord Coe was responding to concerns raised by Mrs Lumley no-one from Redditch was chosen to carry the Torch through the heart of the town. Webheath resident Simon Forrest ran with it through Astwood Bank but other residents from the borough were chosen to carry the Flame but were then allocated to areas such as Hereford and Alcester.

The double Olympic gold medallist said the slotting process was extremely complex with 8,000 torchbearers all promised a 300 metre slot on the route within an hour's journey time of their home postcode.

The torch finishes its journey across the UK at tonight's (Friday) opening ceremony in London.

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