South East Olympic Torch

A burning flame has symbolised the Olympic Games and now a modern

flame on day 61 of its tour around the United Kingdom reaches Dover.

We are a week to go until the opening ceremony of the Olympic

Games Twitter 12. This is why they are here to see the Olympic

cauldron being let. Be -- welcome to BBC South East Today's Olympic

Welcome to Dover for a damp but special edition of South East Today

as the torch relay arrives in the South East. For the next half-an-

hour, we Pilbeam reaching up torch bearers and some of those people

down mad. There has been a remarkable 70 day, 1000 mile

journey to all four corners of Britain. Tonight, the flame is

reaching Dover. The atmosphere is stiff -- brilliant despite the

weather. There is anticipation here as the flame will come up Marine

Parade. The flame left Hastings and travelled through places including

Ashford and Folkestone as it made his way down to here in Deva. A

spectacular entrance it was as it came into the Western Docks aboard

the tall ship -- Tall Ships. We are expecting it around 7:20pm. We are

looking forward to it. The Olympic organisers say 95% of the UK's

population will have been within 10 miles of the Olympic torch as it

comes around the whole of the country. It gets to 27th July for

the opening ceremony. Before it gets to the opening ceremony, the

crowds are going to be across Sussex and Kent and they will catch

a glimpse of the flame. Robin Gibson has a story of the events.

We will be coming to that event later. It is an extraordinary sight.

Thousands of people have been that and seen it and many have touched

it. The Olympic flame on the streets, in the villages, on the

seafront, in the towns. A common phrase seems to join everyone.

is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is awesome, a once-in-a-lifetime

chance. Day 61 began in Hastings at -- on a ride down the cliff and

then the East. This is what it is all about. It is what it must feel

like to run down the road with the torch. They are ready to cheer

anybody, even me. It is a massive event. You have to enjoy it. If you

can't get a ticket, it is the closest we will get. First stop

across the border into Kent and the village of Hamstreet. A hysterical

moments. Very important moment for our children. Great to be here.

then went into the heart of Ashford. Another turn and it was on his way

back to the coast. I like looking at the torch. It was very long

waiting and I had to have a little rest. A really good experience.

lifetime opportunity and we will never forget it. No rest for the

flame which continued East and a journey underground through part of

the Channel -- Channel Tunnel. In Dover, it turned to the water on a

huge tall ship. Can the flame ever before have seen at any more modes

of transport? A day of history to savour for those that were there

for many years to come. I have to say and have been told

that the torch is making good progress through Dover. Fingers

crossed it will arrive at the right time. One of the people that was

carrying the torch has joined me on the stage. Ed Drake is Britain's

best downhill skier. You were carrying the torch through Hastings

today. It was amazing and such a privilege to run with the torch,

something that everybody dreams of doing. What was the atmosphere like

in Hastings? The weather was a lot better and the crowds were lining

the streets. Loads of schoolkids were cheering. You're at Vancouver

for 2010. For you there for the build up beforehand? Not really. We

were in a training camp away from Vancouver and we didn't get to

experience much of the ceremony. I didn't get to go to the opening

ceremony. What is it like to be able to see this stuff that is

going on beforehand? It is amazing to see. In Vancouver, you didn't

see anything. None of this. It is unreal. The you are now training

for 2014. 18 months away now, just round the corner. Thanks every --

thanks ever so much. Dame Kelly Holmes is down at in the crowds to

have a chat with some of the people who have come to see everything

that is going on. There is a real buzz down here. Lots of people are

very excited. We have Angela. How long have you been living down this

way? I have lived here for 30 years and it is great to be part of

history. Are you proud that it has come here? Yes. Great for the

people to share it together. What is it like being here today?

Fantastic and we will do it all again tomorrow. What about you?

name is K2. One did you come today? We promised our doorstep fireworks

on her birthday. It is your birthday? Anyone else? Why are you

down here? It is a festival and I have never been here before. What

do you think about the flame coming? Dover is a really good town.

Are you looking forward to the Olympics? What about the flame

coming? My daddy it is working at the Olympics and he is really

excited. The flame will be here in 10 minutes or so. When the country

hosted the Games the last time, it was a completely different affair

and I went to make -- meet a guy a called Frank who got to enjoy it in

Carrying the flame through Dover to a civic reception. The torch relay

has always played a symbolic role in the Olympic movement. In 1948,

the head of the austerity Games in London, there is no 70 day

extravaganza around the country. Finally the British bringing up the

rear as hosts of 1948. Post-war Britain was struggling and the

torch relay was a chance to bring the country together. It was a

great feeling to run through those clouds -- crowds cheering away. I

am very proud of it and I wouldn't sell it for anything. For Frank

Verge was selected to carry the torch through his home county of

Kent. The country were still getting back, feet. It must have

been a great honour to carry the Olympic torch. I really did enjoy

it. I think all the people, they came out with this feeling of

backing you and backing the Olympics. Instead of six years of

the war, something nice was happening. 8000 torch bearers this

year. There will be some amazing stories of how people have been

given the chance to run with the torch. How did you get the

opportunity to run with the torch in 1948? The committee decided we

would have an eight mile race and the winner was to carry it. There

were 15 starters. I've won. By a lot? Actually, yes, I think I won

by several hundred yards. What do you feel now when you see other

people having the opportunity to run with the torch? They will be

honoured and happy and I hope they get as many people clapping as I

did. The 14th Olympiad. 1948. Olympia to London, with thanks to

the bearer. Which I am happy to say, happened to be me. Popcorn, the

food of champions. One of the great privileges of being here is I have

this lady standing alongside me. One of Britain's greatest Olympians

and your performance eight years ago now is etched in all of our

minds. I will have a chat with you but first, let us remind ourselves

of those fantastic moments. Kelly Holmes, going for two gold medals.

Kelly Holmes for Great Britain wins the 1500 metres title. That is the

greatest performers in the history of Olympic running. Look at, in

your hands there, to an Olympic gold medals. I can't believe it is

two years ago. This is so much in my mind, that moment. What is great

is so many people will feel that the Olympic spirit. I remember

watching Q When that both of those medals. The other fantastic than it

was you on the stage in London when the jack rock make those

announcement that it was the City Jacques Rogge. My it eyes nearly

popped out of my head. I jumped on it Steve Cram. Seeing those

thousands of people coming down and being part of that moment. One of

my other great memories was in Tunbridge Wells when you came back

with those gold medals. That open- top bus was just extraordinary.

Yesterday, I was able to do an event than bring the event into

Tunbridge. Big memories of that day. It was amazing. Everyone came out

for me. There is a lot of people who are hoping to emulate Dame

Kelly at the Olympics this year and For the last decade, Lisa Dobriskey

has been one of the UK's best middle-distance runners, and

winning world silver and Commonwealth gold medals but it is

a Olympic success she craves. However, her place at the London

Games appeared all but over following injury and illness

including a blood clot on her lung which was diagnosed as life-

threatening. I was advised to take time off. I took the weekend off. I

was OK to train but I had to train with a doctor present. I felt sorry

for him standing outside in the cold with oxygen in case something

went wrong. We had to take a few risks. This is so important to me.

I just wanted to know I have tried my best to get there. It was worth

it in the end. Successful teams meet someone who is special and

that is what Ashley Jackson is. Two years ago, the hockey star was

named the best world player and it is his aim to get the first GP

medal since 1988. You sit in the car on the way to training and you

think about winning that goal. You really are excited. You get on the

pitch and then someone tells you to run around the pitch until you

can't run any more and it disappears! It will be excitement

to get it started and I can't wait. Few competitors can boast of three

gold medals in their teams but that is what Sir six shooter, Charlotte

Kerwood, achieved. -- Sussex shooter. In Beijing, I got booed

when I was shooting. I don't think he was anything malicious, it was

just that I was on with a Chinese girl. Every time I hit a target, I

got booed and when I missed, I got cheers. Going to London, I know

everyone will be there to support me. The torch is going to be

arriving imminently. Any moment now, we will see the flame as it is

coming up. Everyone is getting ready. Lisa Dobriskey, she has had

an injured refilled couple of years. You know about preparing for the

big championships. She has had a hardier. She is a championship

runner and is back on form. She would have a good games. Have you

spoken to her? I saw her at Crystal Palace. I know she will be there on

time ready to go. When you get to the Games, it clicks back in. She

would be there and we will have The whole point of today is that it

is not just about Olympians but his is also about people you have not

heard about Michael Oren who has been carrying the flame today.

was a light? It was so exciting. I could not believe it. One higher

than that I had to was my friends to pinch me. I just could not wait.

He have raised a lot of money. it is �140,000. How have you raise

that money? Is it started off with small things like cupcakes sales

and then it got too big things like glider flights and sleep walks in

pyjamas. Everything. Well done. I really hope you remember that

moment for the rest of your life. I will. I was very fortunate

because I got to meet up with Lauren a few weeks ago before the

Torch was running today. I spoke to some other people taking part today.

Lauren, this is the actual street where you will be carrying the

Olympic Torch. I am so excited, I In all of spina bifida, Lauren's

parents were warned she may never be able to walk. Now she is 12 and

she is great for that she can lead an active life of. She has been

waged -- she has raised the huge amount for charity. It started off

when I was seven and I did small things like selling cupcakes and

races and then I started off, the biggest thing I did when I was

about it was a glider flight. The most recent thing I did was a

skydive. That was in Milton Keynes for the Alzheimer's Society.

has been recognised for her work with many awards. Because I can

walk, I can do things for them so why can help them. I can help them

with equipment and stuff. That is what some of my charities do.

full-time firefighter, Mike Pitney was nominated for his charity work.

Ten-year-old Sophie farmer has a terminal lung disorder and has

become a close friend of the family. She is an inspiration because she

is running around with less oxygen than anyone else and she gets worn

out a lot quicker than anyone else. She has a big beaming smile, that

was good timing! She is just an inspiration. She is special! Yes,

she has. She loves coming down here. She loves going on the fire engines

and sits upstairs with them and have a drink and plays games

upstairs with them. She loves it. She loves in fire engines outside.

It makes such a big difference. Kierun Baker will be carrying the

Torch through his home town in Dover. At first I did not believe

it but I gradually got used to it. The main bit is getting told about

it in assembly in front of everybody, that was nervous part.

He was nominated by his teacher for his tremendous personal progress

since coming to this school three years ago. He was just wandering

the corridors and not really engaging. He has now Liam person

who is confident to speak to people like you and tell people about what

he has done and he goes to other schools and engages to other people.

He would not have believed it when he arrived that he could do that

now. You are a prefect here now. Does that make you proud?

Definitely. At my old school I never thought I would be this far

but I have changed a hell of a lot. Now what the great thing about

today is the thing that people like Graeme Faber have had the

opportunity to actually carry the Torch and you can see that this is

the man who was bringing the flame up the final steps, as he arrives

here at Marine Parade in Dover. He is carrying the Olympic flame on

the last leg and to light the cauldron where it will stay

overnight here in Dover. It is a marvellous moment for Graeme Faber.

He was actually at the London Olympics last time it was here in

the UK. Let us leave you with a look at the stage as Graeme Faber

like so cauldron for this evening. -- lights the cauldron for this

Amazing, what a magical moment! Come and join us, we have a very

special guest... What an absolutely extraordinary moment. They are the

white cliffs of Dover in the background. And I spoke to Frank

Verge about the 1948 Torch Relay and he was on stage. We are going

to have a chat with Graeme Faber. 76-year-old, how was it for you?

Brilliant! I cannot speak too much. How was the run? It was absolutely

fine. One of the reasons you were nominated, far from all the amazing

stuff you have done for charity, you were at the London Games as a

little boy in 1948. What you remember? I remember watching Jesse

Owens do the 100 metres. I remember a lot of it. That I particularly

remember. Come I am so excited about the 2012 Olympics. That is

something else. Amazing to see two in your lifetime in your country?

And to take part like this as well! House you find the strength to run

every day? I am only 76! Thank you very much. That is it from us for

now. What a fantastic moment! The rain has just started to come down

again a little bit but it will not dampen any body's enthusiasm. We

have got from special guests with us. Hugh Robinson and Steve Backley,

Olympic minister and an Olympian. Are you quite pleased with how

things are going? Yes, it would be nice if the weather perked up but

that apart the... In spite of the weather it has been a fantastic

evening and that is the story of the Olympic Torch Relay. We have

her fantastic stories from the people are well the Torch today.

People really are picking up on the legacy. If you look at the Torch

Relay from the moment it a ride in the country, the real story of it

has not been about the Olympics and sport, it has been about the

remarkable stories of the people who have carried the Torch. I was

in Hastings last night with a group of runners who were all telling

their stories on the bus. There was one man who broke down in tears. It

was just fantastic, you hear these remarkable stories from people who

never advertise themselves normally and that is great. That is what

this is all about, people ate coming together for this one moment.

Feed, you were doing the Torch tomorrow. I know you are very

excited because all I can see our yacht weeks about the fact you are

doing it and it is just one more sleep. I am so excited about it.

When you are competing you are oblivious to all of this stuff.

What has been lovely, hosting the Games and being part of the

preparations, is going out and finding out what the Olympics does

to people. We live in a bit of the bubble, don't we? Is has been great

to do and it is great to see the looks on people's faces when they

see the flame. It has made a special. You have been having a

chat with some of the other Torch bearers that we were talking to

earlier and they were absolutely made up with the reaction they were

getting as they went through Ashford. They were saying the

atmosphere was extraordinary. Everyone I have spoken to has

carried the Torch has said it was far better than they could have

ever thought. It is quite hard to conjure up what it will be like,

you will judge for 300 yards and carry the Torch but of course it is

the people who come out. We have been battered by the weather here

in Dover but the atmosphere is great. The people making special.

Hugh Robertson, I cannot help but ask about a few other things? G4S

and the security, are we going to have a safe games? Absolutely, we

are. All that has happened on Wednesday last night -- last week

is that G4S said they could not provide the numbers of God that

they were contracted to so we have increased the number of military.

Tour to athletes who are arriving in the village, instead of being

horrified by it, they are really pleased to see the military on the

gate and they are doing a fantastic job and it makes you feel great

about the London Games. It will be a safe and secure gains. 31 more

question for you, Steve? Adam Gemili has really come to attention

recently, what do you think about him? He has won the junior

championships and he has shown he can compete and a quest -- under

pressure. He is clearly talented, that is a given and we know he can

compete and the pressure and is going to the Olympic Games. Who

knows? More realistically we will be looking at Rio in four years'

time. I am really looking forward to with. I have had a fantastic

time, we are celebrating all night. It is great to be part of the show

and thank you for coming. The party will continue all evening. There

will be a big fireworks display later. Tomorrow it will move on one

more stage again and our reporter is at Leeds Castle now.

Hello from a very cold and soggy Leeds Castle. You can see

preparations have been under way for much of the day for the big

celebration that to rights here tomorrow night. The stage is set

and out here we will have an additional big screen and out on

the lawn there will be around 1,500 faces, all will be here tomorrow

night as the Torch arrives at approximately 6:30pm. Just to

remind you of the route for tomorrow. It will go through the

coast and weave its way through the Thanet towns and go towards

Maidstone and arrive here tomorrow evening. If you have been out and

about getting photos today you can Tweet them to wealth. -- Tweet them

to us. I am really looking forward to

tomorrow. I hope the weather cheers up a bit. It has been brilliant.

Everyone is celebrating. I know they will all have memories in

their mind for ever after this event. They have all been part of

the Olympic spirit. It has been great to see so many people doing

this county proud. Absolutely. It is one thing Kent does well,