Second day of Olympic Torch relay comes to a close

Torchbearer 033 Adam Smith carries the Olympic flame towards Torcross Credit: PA

The second day of the Olympic relay started at the Plymouth Life Centre at 8.07am when the flame began its journey out of the city.

Even early on a Sunday crowds were lining the streets out of the city to see the Olympic Torch on its way.

Jordan Anderton, 18, from Ivybridge, was the first bearer to carry on the torch on its Sunday relay.

The Cardiff Metropolitan University student, who also plays rugby for Ivybridge RFC, was nominated after surviving a very rare form of childhood cancer at the age of 14, before raising £86,000 for charities fighting the disease.

A Royal Marine who lost an arm and both legs when he stood on a landmine in Afghanistan was also one of the day's torchbearers. He described carrying the Olympic Torch as a "humbling experience".

Mark Ormrod is a triple amputee who was told he would never walk again after he was badly injured on Christmas Eve 2007 while serving with 40 Commando.

The former Royal Marine, from Plymstock, Plymouth, Devon, has defied doctors to become an inspiration for many people with his charity work.

The 28-year-old compared carrying the Olympic Torch with the completion of his gruelling 3,500-mile charity run across America two years ago.

The married father-of-one, who now works for the Royal Marines Association, and a team of Royal Marines completed the eight-week coast-to-coast journey named the "Gumpathon" in aid of injured service personnel.

Torchbearer 014 Mark Ormrod carrying the Olympic flame on the leg between Plymouth and Modbury Credit: PA

Mr Ormrod and the other Plymouth torchbearers were at the new £46.5 million leisure centre for a ceremony to light the first torch to mark the start of day two of the relay.

A crew of approximately 350 people are set to be working on each day of the 70-day relay.

The relay also relies on the work of staff from London 2012, the Metropolitan Police Torch Security Team, the sponsors plus the host police forces and town halls.

After leaving Plymouth the torch was carried through Brixton, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth, Totnes before arriving in Torquay. At the popular holiday resort Torbay Mayor Gordon Oliver greeted the Olympic flame.

Torbay has strong links with the Olympics as the sailing events of 1948 London Olympics were held in Torquay. Meanwhile, working with the Royal Yachting Association, a sailing relay has begun a 16-day journey from Torquay to Weymouth - the host of this year's Olympic sailing events.

The second day of the relay has finished in Exeter with a live show at Exeter Cathedral Gardens. The last person to carry the torch in Exeter lit a cauldron to mark the culmination of the day's festivities. From Plymouth to Exeter the flame travelled 88 miles and was carried by 121 torchbearers - meaning a total of 259 have carried it since Saturday. The flame will remain in a lantern in Exeter overnight before heading towards Taunton on Monday.