The Paralympic Flame to come to Watford on Wednesday 29 August...

(22nd August 2012)

The Paralympic Flame will be visiting Watford during the early hours of Wednesday 29 August on its way from Stoke Mandeville Stadium to the Olympic Stadium in London.

Watford residents and those from the surrounding area are invited to show their support to the Torchbearers who will be making the full 92 mile journey in 24 hours.

Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: “The Olympics were a fantastic success and I know that the Paralympics are eagerly awaited.

“The theme of endeavour runs through the Paralympics. The organisers have set themselves the challenge of getting the Paralympic Flame from Stoke Mandeville, which is the birthplace of the paralympic movement, to the Olympic Stadium in London within 24 hours, so this should bring a real sense of anticipation and challenge to proceedings.

“Local people are welcome to come out at night as the flame comes through Watford and support the tourchbearing teams when they most need it. I am looking forward to giving them a warm Watford welcome.”

The inspirational torchbearing teams will need to work together in order to complete their stage of the Relay and help keep the schedule to arrive at the Stadium to mark the start of the Paralympic Games.

The streets along which the Paralympic Flame will be carried during the Torch Relay can be viewed in full at: www.london2012.com/paralympictorchrelay. The map gives street-by-street details and estimated start times for when the Paralympic Flame will travel through Watford.

The Flame leaves the Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Buckinghamshire at 8pm on Tuesday 28 August. It arrives in Watford at 00:41am on Wednesday 29 August, at the A41 North Western Avenue, from the Aerodrome Way sliproad / Rushton Avenue.

It then travels along the A41 North Western Avenue to the Sainsburys superstore entrance at the The Dome roundabout, at 0:50am.

After a crew break it leaves Sainsburys at 1:58am and travels along the A412 St Albans Road passing North Watford library, Leggatts Wood Avenue and the BMW garage shortly afterwards.

It will carry on St Albans Road passing McDonalds at 2:05am before passing Balmoral Road, and Judge Street at 2:12am. It carries on St Albans Road leading to the slip road to Beechen Grove 2:24am.

It carries along the A411 Beechen Grove, passing opposite the Sainsburys town centre store entrance at 2:29am. It carries along the A411 Beechen Grove ring road passing Clarendon Road entrance at 2:30am and passes the Water Lane entrance off the ring road by the skate park at 2:38am.

It travels on down the A411 Lower High Street, passing Watford High Street station and the entrance to Watford fire station at 2:40am. From there it carries on the A411 Lower High Street, passing the Waterfields Way entrance and leaves Watford borough at 2:43am.

The teams of Torchbearers confirmed to carry the Flame in Watford include those that were successful through the public nomination processes run by the Presenting Partners, BT, Lloyds TSB and Sainsbury’s. Each Torchbearer will wear a white and blue uniform which has been designed by adidas.

Standing on the left hand side of the street the Flame is being carried along will mean people are, generally, nearer to the Torchbearers and therefore get the best view of the action.

116 teams of five Torchbearers will carry the Olympic Flame along the 92 mile route from Stoke Mandeville to the Stratford Park, where the Relay will conclude at approximately 10pm.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: ‘The Paralympic Torch Relay celebrates the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality. Whether they have been together for years, or brought together around a common story, each team of five Torchbearers represents the Paralympic values and the power of human endeavour.

“Today we invite people to show their support for the Torchbearers by coming out to cheer them on as they make their way through Watford and help us lead the way to the Paralympic Games.”

People are invited by the Paralympic organisers to make and light a lantern in celebration of the Torchbearers to help lead their way along the route.

See www.london2012.com/lightalantern for more details and a guide on how make a lantern.

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