Excited children hold an Olympic torch relay and community event (From Your Local Guardian)

Excited Long Ditton children hold an Olympic torch relay

11:00am Thursday 28th June 2012 in Elmbridge By Louise Robertson

Schoolchildren joined together to stage their own version of the Olympic torch relay on Friday, June 22.

The event, which involved children from Long Ditton Infant and Junior Schools, was the culmination of weeks of hard work and planning.

The school wrote to shopkeepers, residents and parents asking for their support and many turned out for the special day.

The torch relay started at the junior school, where it was sent off through an arch made up by excited children, and then made its way over to the infants.

Head teacher David Gumbrell said: “It was a really fun community event and the kids were really excited because it has been building up. We really built them up in to a bit of a frenzy.

“In terms of community spirit, it ticked all of the boxes.”

In the build-up to the event the children tried out different sports such as taekwondo, archery and fencing.

They were also treated to an assembly by former pupil Sophia Roberts, now a student at Tolworth Girls’ School, who was selected as one of the official Olympic torch bearers.