Sussex welcomes Flame
The Olympic Flame will tour through Sussex for the first time today, with some gold medallists carrying the Torch.
Sally Gunnell will carry the Olympic Torch through Sussex later today. The 400m hurdler will carry the Flame through Bognor Regis. Meanwhile, Winter Olympic gold medallist and head judge on TV's Dancing On Ice, Robin Cousins, will carry the Flame in his home city of Brighton.
The Flame will travel through the following Sussex communities: Rogate, Midhurst, Easebourne, Tillington, Petworth, Duncton, Chicheser, North Bersted, South Bertsted, Bognor Regis, Woodgate, Westergate, Arundel, Worthing, Lancing, West Blatchington and Brighton and Hove.
Today's Sussex Tour Highlights:
10.34am – Petworth House: Sara Tremlett, 63, from West Chiltington who was nominated through the Samsung campaign for her work as District Commissioner of the Lord Leconfield Pony Club will carry the Flame into the grounds and around Petworth House.
11.20am - Cass Sculpture Park: a Torchbearer will carry the Flame in front of the sculptures,
3.59pm – Arundel Castle: Jason Saw, 42, from Brighton will carry the Flame into the grounds of Arundel Castle. Jason was nominated through the Lloyds TSB campaign for his leadership of a project called MINDOUT which aims to tackle mental illness in the Brighton Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans community.
6.50pm - Sussex County Cricket Club: the last Torchbearer of the day Karen West, 60, from Worthing will carry the Flame on to the evening celebration stage in Brighton and Hove. Karen was nominated through the LOCOG campaign for her outstanding work as a nursing sister at Goring Hall Hospital. She is patients’ guardian angel through their fight with cancer and is there 24/7. Our cancer journey would be far harder without that phone number we can always ring, she is a true inspiration with all her patients.
Evening celebration summary:
The evening celebration will take place in Sussex County Cricket Club in Brighton and Hove.
The evening celebration will feature a variety of entertainment staged by LOCOG and the three Presenting Partners of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
Popular music duo Rizzle Kicks will also make an appearance on the stage with a fifteen minute guest spot. There will also be entertainment from a dance troupe who will provide a unique fusion of street performance, theatre and sport and dance act Twist and Pulse.
There will also be performances from local groups The Carousel Choir and The Brighton & Hove Youth Big Band.
Towards the end of the two-hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day – Karen West - will light a celebration cauldron on stage at the event which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience.