Lord Coe tipped for Olympic torch role

Lord Coe, chairman of LOCOG, the committee organising the London Games, was yesterday interviewed by schoolchildren about his role as a potential torchbearer.

He told them he had been nominated to carry the torch in the relay across the country – before adding that he might carry it through Sheffield because of his links to the city.

Lord Coe was brought up in Sheffield.

His schooldays in the city laid the foundations for his successful athletic career in the 1980s.

Although he was not available for comment yesterday, a LOCOG spokesman did confirm that Lord Coe had identified Sheffield as somewhere he could carry the flame.

The spokesman added: “Lord Coe is among the nominees to carry the torch and told the children that Sheffield might be a good place to do that.

“It hasn’t been confirmed, because he also has links to other places, he was an MP in Falmouth in Cornwall between 1992 and 1997 for example and he also lives in London.”

Sheffield Council leaders would be delighted if Lord Coe did bring the flame to the city – before taking part in celebration evening being organised for that day

Last week, council leader Julie Dore unveiled plans for the event in the city centre’s Barker’s Pool area.

She said crowds of 10,000 people were expected for the free party.

LOCOG said the Olympic Torch Relay route has been planned so that the flame will come within 10 miles of home for 95 per cent of the UK’s population.

The relay will arrive in North Yorkshire on Monday, June 18 and will visit towns and villages across the region before moving south on Wednesday, June 27.

Altogether 8,000 people around the country have now been selected as torchbearers .