CROWDS of proud residents will line the streets of Chester when the Olympic flame is carried through the city by selected torchbearers.
Organisers of the London Games this week revealed all the official routes of the historic relay, which will begin at 5.45pm on Tuesday, May 29, at the Welsh border in Saltney.
From there it will travel through Hough Green, across the Overleigh roundabout and into Handbridge, where the route will take the torch over the Old Dee Bridge to be met by a Roman soldier guard of honour, and on into the riverside Groves.
The route from there into the city centre passes up through Grosvenor Park, on to the amphitheatre via Vicars Lane and into St John Street to the Eastgate Clock.
A loop via St Werburgh Street and Northgate Street will then pass the cathedral and town hall before the torch is scheduled to head toward the Chester Racecourse celebration destination via Watergate Street at 6.50pm.
The torch will leave the city early on Wednesday morning, setting off from the Groves side of the Queen’s Park suspension bridge at 6.55am before being carried up Souters Lane, along Pepper Street, down Lower Bridge Street, along Castle Drive and down Grosvenor Road as far as Overleigh Road, at which point the torch will be transported to Wrexham for the next leg of its journey.
Runners from Chester have been specially chosen through public nomination to carry the flame, and will cover about 300 metres each.
The proud torchbearers, comprising members of the community ranging from charity workers to athletes, were this week officially cleared to tell their friends and family about their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which has not been possible in Britain since London last hosted the Olympics in 1948.
Those confirmed to carry the flame through the city were publicly nominated through processes run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung and were also nominated by Cheshire West and Chester Council.
These include former personal trainer Adrian Derbyshire, 37, who became wheelchair-bound after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, and is now a wheelchair fencer who gives inspirational talks to disabled children.
Huw Barrett, 17, from Christleton, a Lloyds TSB Local Heroes athlete who hopes to play hockey for Great Britain at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Lucy Doherty, 16, from Elton, who finished third in the Women’s 50m backstroke at the North West Amateur Swimming Championships.
Chester grandmother Margaret McKeegan, 77, who regularly raises funds for soldiers in Afghanistan.
Dragon boat racer Rachel Smith, 42, from Hoole, who has represented Great Britain 10 times at the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships in Florida.
Jenny Moore, 16, who represented England as an international badminton champion in Germany last summer.
Alex Staniforth from Kelsall, who at 16, is the youngest person ever to complete the Three Peaks Challenge alone.
Emma Jones, 20, who was nominated for her volunteer work with the Boughton Belles Netball Club.
Ian Powell, 25, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, has raised more than £1,000 for people with disabilities.
Canon Christopher Humphries, 59, Chester Cathedral’s Precentor, who has raised funds for Macmillan Cancer Support by running the Great North Run and the Chester Half Marathon twice, and took part in the 2010 Mercian Regiment marathon to help families of soldiers killed in action.
David Goodier, 45, of Kelsall, nominated for his work with the Tarporley Scouts.
Isabel Jonet Parreira Jonet, 52, from Lisbon, Portugal.
Jean Turner, 57, a charity fundraiser from Chester.
When the torch arrives at Chester Racecourse, the flame will ignite a cauldron on the stage, marking its historic arrival in Chester.
Cllr Stuart Parker, executive member for culture and recreation, said: “Plans are being made to make the torch celebration a memorable occasion for everyone.
“We will be the first venue in the North West to welcome the torch and I am sure it will be given a fantastic Cheshire West welcome as people line the route or take part in the Chester Racecourse festivities.
The torch remains in the city overnight and there will be another chance to see it when the departure relay starts the next day, just before 7am, from the suspension bridge on the River Dee.
A farewell to the torch is scheduled to take place in The Groves, with the torchbearers leaving via Souters Lane, Pepper Street, Lower Bridge Street and down to Castle Drive. The final leg will finish in the vicinity of Grosvenor Bridge/Grosvenor Road at 7.08am.
Starting in next week’s Chronicle we will be profiling two of the torchbearers each week in the run-up to the big event.
