17 July 2012

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

THE crowds – and the sun – turned out to greet the Olympic torch as it reached East Grinstead on 17 July on its journey around the country ahead of the London Games.

With just ten days to go, and after weeks of deluging rain, the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the Olympic torch saw expectant crowds stand four deep along the High Street and London Road.

Anticipation started to build as an advance party of dancers, stilt walkers, police outriders – and publicity vehicles from sponsors who had spent millions to be associated with the 2012 Games – made their way slowly up from Felbridge past a crowd which included many of the town’s children who had been let off school for the morning to witness the historic occasion.

Town Mayor Liz Bennett was delighted to be at the “kiss point” at the top of London Road, where the flame lit in Greece several weeks ago was passed from one runner to the next, and a great roar went up as it made its way along the High Street.

It took just moments to be run past Sackville College, which has stood witness to many historic events in the town centre for the past 400 years, and then it was down Blackwell Hollow with the penultimate leg past the Queen Victoria hospital carried by East Grinstead resident and Olympic gold medallist Richard Leman, before the next stop at Tunbridge Wells.

Liz said: “This was the third happy and memorable event we have celebrated in East Grinstead this summer, and I would like to thank everyone involved in organising and stewarding it for ensuring it went off smoothly and safely.”

Richard returned to the High Street later with his torch and happily posed for photographs with the lingering onlookers.

[AFG_gallery id=’4′]