Banks and Thompson to carry Torch

Daley Thompson to carry Olympic Torch during its journey through London
25 July 2012

The Olympic torch will be in safe hands today as it is carried by goalkeeping great Gordon Banks, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and former decathlete champion Daley Thompson.

Travelling 30.48 miles carried by 153 torchbearers, the flame will stop off at Wembley Stadium and Alexandra Palace as it makes its way across north London from Harrow to Haringey.

Starting its day at Headstone Manor, a moated country house in Harrow which used to be the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the torch is expected to arrive at Wembley Arena shortly after 11.30am.

There it will be carried by recently-retired badminton champion and Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson, 35, one of the most decorated mixed doubles player in the history of English badminton.

From Wembley Arena the torch will be carried to one of the world's most iconic football venues, Wembley Stadium, where it will fall into the hands of Gordon Banks. Widely considered one of world football's best ever goalkeepers, the 74-year-old was part of the England team that won the World Cup at the old Wembley stadium in 1966.

Later the torch will be picked up by 100-year-old Diana Gould and carried to Middlesex University in Barnet. The oldest female torchbearer to take part in the London 2012 relay, Mrs Gould will meet Mayor of London Boris Johnson as she takes the flame into the university for a lunchtime break.

After refreshments, actor Rupert Grint will take the torch out of the university as it continues onwards to Enfield.

Grint, 23, is best known for his role as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film series and has been nominated as a torchbearer for his work with children charities Starlight and Make-A-Wish Foundation.

As the day draws to an end the flame will arrive in Haringey, it will visit Alexandra Palace, where 53-year-old decathlon star Daley Thompson will light the celebration cauldron at the evening event.

Thompson, who trained at Haringey Athletics Club, was the first person ever to hold the world, Olympic, Commonwealth and European decathlon titles at the same time, as well as the world record during his 1980s heyday.

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