Moments to Shine: Relive the Relay
The Olympic Flame has provided us with so many iconic moments on the Torch Relay through the south and south east.
Who could forget the Torch appearing as the sun dawned over Stonehenge, the Queen greeting Torchbearers at Windsor Castle, the Flame ferried on a Tall Ship into Dover Harbour, or how a 92-year-old Normandy veteran spoke of his pride carrying the Torch through Portsmouth.
More than 1,200 torchbearers have carried the Flame through the Meridian Region in the past two weeks. The relay has toured through nearly 200 communities, and carried over nearly 1,000 miles.
Meridian has followed its progress throughout its journey in the south, on our bulletins and programmes and online. Here you can relive those special moments as we offer you a chance to see all of our online coverage of the Torch Relay through your county.
DAY 52 - Buckinghamshire
It was the first day of the Torch Relay in the south when it arrived in Buckinghamshire. The Olympic Flame toured through Bletchley, Buckingham, Aylesbury, the Stoke Mandeville Stadium and Waddesdon.
DAY 52 & 53 - Oxfordshire
The Torch spent two days in Oxfordshire, arriving in Bicester before being taken through Kirtlington, Woodstock, and Kidlington for an evening celebration in South Park in Oxford. Sir Roger Bannister then re-started the relay the following morning at Iffley Road Stadium - where he had broken the four minute mile back in 1954. It then toured through Abingdon, Wallingford, Crowmarsh Gifford, Nettlebed and to Henley-on-Thames where Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave carried the Flame whilst rowing on the river.
DAY 53 & 54 - Berkshire
The Queen greeted the Torch to Windsor Castle on its tour through Berkshire on Day 53. The relay toured through Bisham Abbey, Maidenhead, Burnham and Slough before the royal occasion at Windsor. The Torch was then carried to Egham and to Ascot where jockey Frankie Dettori carried the flame on horseback at the racecourse. It then headed to Bracknell before an evening celebration at Reading's Madejski Stadium. The following morning the Torch continued through to Theale, Thatcham and Newbury.
Day 54, 57, 58 & 59 - Hampshire
The Torch spent four days in Hampshire, initially arriving in Basingstoke, before heading through Kings Worthy, Winchester and Andover on Day 54. Then after journeying through Wiltshire and Dorset it came back to the New Forest on Day 57, calling at Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Lymington. It then crossed the Solent to the Isle of Wight, touring through Totland, Yarmouth, Carisbrooke, Newport, and East Cowes, before heading back to an evening celebration in Southampton. On Day 58, after a trip to the Channel Islands, the Olympic Flame called at Fareham, Bridgemary, & Gosport before catching a ferry over for an evening celebration on Southsea Common. The Torch then left Hampshire on Day 59 after touring through Portsmouth and Petersfield.
DAY 54 & 55 - Wiltshire
The Torch arrived in east Wiltshire on Day 54, touring through Ludgershall, Tidworth, Amesbury and The Winterbournes before an evening celebration in the cathedral city of Salisbury. The following morning American sprinter Michael Johnson started the relay at Stonehenge, before the Olympic Flame was carried through Wilton, Barford St Martin, Fovant and Ludwell.
DAY 55, 56 & 57 - Dorset
There was a grand tour of the towns and villages in Dorset on Day 55, calling through Shaftesbury, Fontmell Magna, Iwerne Minster, Stourpaine, Blandford Forum, Winterborne Whitechurch, Milborne St Andrew, Puddletown, Dorchester, Winterbourne Abbas, Bridport, Chideock, Lyme Regis, Burton Bradstock, Abbotsbury, Portesham, Chickerell, Wyke Regis, and Osprey Quay before an evening celebration in Weymouth. Day 57 started at Portland Bill before taking in the scenic locations along the Jurassic Coast. It then toured through Southwell, Weston, Easton, Portland, Fortuneswell, Weymouth, Preston, Osmington, Winfrith Newburgh, Wool, Corfe Castle, Swanage, Stoborough, Wareham, Sandford, Lytchett Minster, Upton, Hamworthy, Poole, Ashley Cross, Branksome and Wallisdown before an evening celebration on the beach in Bournemouth. It then left the county on Day 57, calling at Boscombe and Christchurch.
DAY 59, 60 & 61 - Sussex
The Torch first arrived in Sussex at Rogate on Day 59. The Olympic Flame then headed through Midhurst, Easebourne, Tillington, Petworth, Duncton, Chicheser, North Bersted, South Bertsted and Bognor Regis where Olympic Gold Medallist Sally Biggs, formerly Sally Gunnell, carried the Torch. It then went onto Woodgate, Westergate, Arundel, Worthing, Lancing, and West Blatchington, before an evening celebration at the Sussex County Cricket Club at Brighton and Hove. The following morning, it headed north to Crawley, before calling at Copthorne, Felbridge, and East Grinstead. After a brief stop at Tunbridge Wells in Kent, the Torch then toured through Crowborough, Lewes, Eastbourne, Pevensey and Bexhill on Sea where it was handed over to comedian Eddie Izzard. It then called at St Leonards on Sea before an evening celebration in Hastings. The Torch left the county on Day 61, calling at Rye on its way to Kent.
DAY 61 & 62 - Kent
The Torch had briefly stopped in the county at Tunbridge Wells on Day 60. But it was Day 61 when the relay fully toured the Garden of England calling at Hamstreet, Ashford, Hythe, Sandgate, and Folkestone. It then toured through part of the Channel Tunnel at Samphire Hoe, before being carried on a Tall Ship into Dover Harbour for an evening celebration. It was a busy day for the Torch Relay on Day 62, calling at Deal, Sholden, Sandwich, Great Stonar, Cliffs End, St Lawrence and Ramsgate where former Javelin thrower Steve Backley took up the honour. The it was onto Broadstairs, St Peters, Cliftonville and Margate where artist Tracey Emin was handed the Olympic Flame. The it was onto Westgate-on-Sea, Birchington-on-Sea, Upstreet, Sturry, through the grounds of Canterbury Cathedral, Thanington, Faversham, Challock and Harrietsham. The relay then finished with an evening celebration at Leeds Castle in Maidstone.