Key facts about the London 2012 Olympic torch

The Olympic torch relay is coming to the Calendar region. Over the next couple of weeks, hundreds of people will line the streets of East, South, West, and North Yorkshire, as well as in Lincolnshire.

The first person from our region to carry the torch in our region is Kelly Williams from Scarborough. The 25 year old PE teacher will carry the torch on its final leg through Whitby.

Kelly, who teaches at Woldgate College in Pocklington, is covering the last bit in the town before it is handed over at the North York Moors Railway. She was nominated not only for her inspirational teaching but also for her years of volunteer work both in this country and abroad.

She has even been to Lusaka in Zambia three times to coach underprivileged children in sport and HIV awareness. Kelly is much loved by the hundreds of children she helps and inspires. She is also much loved by her fiance, who nominated her for the honour, describing her as "a leader, an educator and most importantly, a trusting friend to everyone she comes into contact with.".

We’ll bring you all the reaction from the torch relay, speaking to the people who’ve been chosen to carry it, plus give you details of its route. But how much do we know about the torch. Find out some key facts below.

Once the Flame is lit in the Temple of Hera, it stays alight until the end of the Olympic Games

when it is extinguished during the Closing Ceremony.

When the Flame isn’t being passed from torchbearer to torchbearer, it is kept in a

special lantern!

The torch is 80 centimetres tall.

In previous years it has travelled into space and to the top of Mount Everest.

It has been carried underwater - around the Great Barrier Reef - and has travelled on a gondola in Venice, a dragon boat in China and in a canoe in Canada

Until the 1950’s only men could carry the torch.

It will be used to light a cauldron, which has been used for many years to signal the start of the Olympic games.

The relay lasts for 70 days and in that time around eight thousand people will carry it before it makes it’s way back to the Olympic Stadium on July 27th.

It is made out of aluminium – the same kind of material used for making cars.

The triangular design of the Torch was inspired by a series of ‘threes’ that are found in the

history of the Olympic Games and the vision of the Olympic Movement:

1.the three Olympic Values of respect, excellence and friendship;

2.the three words that make the Olympic motto – faster, higher, stronger; and

3.the fact that the UK has hosted the Olympic Games in 1908, 1948 and will host them for the third time in 2012.

Most of the torchbearers are aged between 12 and 24, andhave were nominated by those close to them for being ‘inspirational.

If you want to find more information on the games, head to the official London 2012 website.