The Paralympic flame continues its journey through Yorkshire

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8-year-old Evan Whitton brought the flame to Yorkshire yesterday Credit: PA

The Paralympic Flame was brought into Yorkshire by 8-year-old Evan Whitton from Silsden yesterday. Evan collected the flame in Trafalgar Square and brought it up to York by train. The Yorkshire lantern was then split into five further lanterns, which are now appearing at celebrations across the region.

The flame will be the star attraction at a free celebration event at the John Charles Centre for Sport from 12noon to 2pm on Saturday 25 August just days before the biggest showcase of disability sport ever seen begins in London next Wednesday.

The celebration event in Leeds, hosted by Leeds City Council and the Leeds Disability Sport Youth Panel, will involve more than 10 Paralympic sports being demonstrated for anyone to try.

The flames will appear at 33 events happening across the UK before the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay officially begins from Stoke Mandeville at 8pm on Tuesday 22 August. The relay will see 116 teams of five torchbearers carry the flame 92 miles over 24 hours before it reaches the Olympic Park in time for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games on Wednesday, where Leeds athletes will be looking to emulate the extraordinary success of their Team GB colleagues from the Olympics.