Games fever grows as crowds greet Torch’s return to region

The Olympic Flame came back to the region as part of its ongoing national tour after an initial three-day passage through Yorkshire last week. It will return to the region for a third and final time when it arrives in Derbyshire on Friday.

The Torch yesterday stopped off in Marsh, Huddersfield, Brighouse and Halifax before heading through Bradford, Keighley and Skipton. The relay continued through Ilkley before arriving in Leeds – the only city outside London to host the Olympic Flame on three separate days.

A total of 70,000 spectators turned out in the Bradford district alone as the Torch passed through the West Yorkshire city along with Keighley and Ilkley.

Among the Torchbearers in Halifax was Chris Green, 58, from Hebden Bridge, who was selected for his work as a volunteer and director of the White Ribbon Campaign, the national movement to engage men in tackling violence against women.

He said: “It has been a huge honour, and I have met so many people with inspirational stories who have been carrying the Torch. It has really captured the nation’s hearts, and it was amazing to see so many people in the crowds.

“It took me 45 minutes to walk 100 yards to Halifax bus station because so many people wanted to have their photographs taken with the Torch.”

The relay began in Salford yesterday where footballing legend Sir Bobby Charlton ran outside Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium with the Torch.

The 1966 World Cup winner and Manchester United hero, 74, was one of 151 Torchbearers who carried the Torch yesterday as it made its way across the Pennines to Leeds.

Sir Bobby claimed he “never dreamed” the Olympics would actually come to Great Britain, and added: “We were so pleased when it happened. It’s has just been terrific.”

The Torch’s route through Leeds yesterday took in Potternewton, Harehills and Richmond Hill, and included a stop-off at the Headingley Carnegie Stadium. The Olympic Flame ended the day at a major celebration event with a 30,000-strong crowd at Temple Newsam.

Its first day in Leeds was on Tuesday last week, when it also headed through North and East Yorkshire across three days.

The relay will start in Leeds this morning and the route will pass the city’s famous Town Hall and across the historic Leeds Bridge, before it continues into South Yorkshire.

The relay yesterday travelled 121.35 miles. The flame arrived in Britain from Greece on May 18 and the relay began at Land`s End, Cornwall, the next day. A total of 8,000 people will carry the flame during its 8,000-mile, 70-day journey to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London on July 27.