Olympic Flame to visit Falkirk Wheel and Forth Road Bridge on journey from St Andrews to Edinburgh

On Wednesday 13th June, the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Bank of Scotland and Samsung – will travel 145.35 miles through 18 communities on its journey from St Andrews to Edinburgh.

115 inspirational Torchbearers will carry the Flame through the following communities: St Andrews, Milnathort, Kinross, Crook of Devon, Alloa, Bridge of Allan, Dunblane, Stirling, Cumbernauld, Larbert, Camelon, Falkirk, Skinflats, Cairneyhill, Crossford, Dumfermline, Broxburn, Edinburgh.

Highlights for today are:

07.15 – St Andrews West Sands. Joseph Forrester, 13, will carry the Flame along the beach made famous by the film Chariots of Fire. Joseph is a member of Fife Athletics Club. He has run competitively for a few years now and was running 10km races in under an hour when he was 9 and 10 years old in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) where his family were stationed with the RAF. He loves running and his dream is to one day run for Team GB in a long distance events. He recently had great fun running in the Chariots of Fire race along West Sands Beach.

At 10.46 there will be a photo opportunity with Paul Mcintyre at the Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument. Paul, 22, has Becker Muscular Dystrophy. Despite this disabling condition he plays a round of golf almost every day without help and in 2010 he even completed the London Marathon over two days to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy and to raise awareness of his condition. Paul wasn't always so determined or productive. When he was younger he was a disruptive trouble maker. In his own words Paul would admit that 'he wasn't a nice person.' That was until at the age of 16 he discovered golf. Sport has enabled Paul to channel his energy positively and without knowing it has taught him the value of self discipline.

Two special photo opportunities will be held during the day. At 12.48 a Torchbearer will carry the Flame at the Falkirk Wheel and at 13.08 broadcaster, adventurer and author Mark Beaumont will carry the Flame across the Forth Road Bridge. Mark will also be the first Torchbearer of the day at 07.00 at St Andrews University.

The evening celebration will take place at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh.

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, Bank of Scotland and Samsung.

Emeli Sandé, presented by Coca-Cola, will headline the celebrations followed by stunning acrobatic performances brought by Bank of Scotland and dance performances staged by Samsung. The City of Edinburgh Council will also present two ten-minute slots of locally-programmed entertainment during the evening celebration. The Big Project’s Youth Choir will be joined onstage by some of Scotland's finest musical talent, including Kim Edgar and Karine Polwart, to reprise a selection of songs from their recent Celtic Connections and Usher Hall performances. The second, ten minute slot will bring the evening event to a close.

Towards the end of the two-hour show, the last Torchbearer of the day - Lesley Forrest - will light a celebration cauldron on stage at 19.20 which will enable the Olympic Flame to be seen by the audience.

Torchbearer highlights:

Maki Tsukada, 30, carrying the Flame in Stirling. Maki is a women’s judo gold medallist from the Athens Olympic Games in 2004.

John Kerr, 32, who is carrying the Flame in Edinburgh. John is seven times British Ice Dance Champion, with his dance partner and sister Sinead. He won a bronze medal at the European Championships in 2009 and 2011, coming 5th in the World Championships in 2010. They are the only British Ice Dancers ever to medal at Grand Prix events and gain a place in the Grand Prix Final. He is a two times Olympian competing in the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games. John was elected to the BOA Athletes’ Commission by his fellow athletes and brings a winter sport perspective to the group.

Hannah Clarke, 18, from Kinross who will carry the Flame in Milnathort. Selected through the Coca-Cola Future Flames programme, Hannah was diagnosed with an inoperable tumour and has since raised nearly £10,000 for cancer charities. She promotes real wigs for teenagers going through chemotherapy and uses her energy, enthusiasm and zest for life to inspire others and remain positive.

Lesley Forrest, 54 from Edinburgh who is carrying the Flame in Edinburgh, was nominated through the Bank of Scotland public nomination campaign. She received a kidney transplant in 1996 and a year later started competing in the British Transplant Games as part of the Scottish team. As well as being a multiple medallist in both British and World Transplant Games, Lesley has dedicated a lot of time and effort into raising funds and awareness and was honoured with the Edinburgh University's Principles Medal as well as an MBE this past June.

Lee Hesp, 46, from Perth and Kinross is carrying the Flame in Crook of Devon. Nominated through the Samsung campaign, in 2006, Lee’s daughter was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, an invasive form of cancer. Lee showed incredible strength as the rock of his family, supporting his wife, son Dan, and especially Lottie herself, keeping her laughing even when she suffered through pneumonia, shingles, kidney failure and the reactions to her drugs. Lottie is now in remission and Lee is her hero.

Joseph Forrester, 13, from St Andrew’s who is carrying the Flame in St Andrews. Joe, nominated through the Locog campaign, is a member of Fife Athletics Club. He has run competitively for a number of years and was running 10km races in under an hour when he was 9 and 10 years old. He loves running and his dream is to one day run for Team GB in long distance events.

Jodi Mcginty, 19 was nominated by the City of Edinburgh Council through the Locog campaign. As part of the Young Ambassadors programme in Edinburgh since March 2009, Jodi, who is from Edinburgh and is carrying the Flame in Edinburgh, has made an excellent contribution to developing sport within her local community, encouraging young people to lead an active lifestyle and inspiring her peers to do the same. Jodi has played an integral role in supporting, encouraging and enabling her school peers to lead an active lifestyle. CR She has established a student sports forum at her school, led workshops at national sporting conferences, given press interviews and produced an inspirational DVD of her experiences as a Young Ambassador for Sport.

James Williams, Director, Olympic Torch Relay, Coca-Cola Northwest Europe & Nordics, said: "Today, two more Coca-Cola Future Flames will help us celebrate the twenty-sixth day of our amazing journey, when Hannah Clarke and Jillian Hamilton carry the Olympic Flame in Milnathort and Bridge of Allan. We will also get everyone to Move to the Beat tonight as we bring Emeli Sandé to the stage in Edinburgh."

Sally Hancock, Director, London 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: "We are thrilled to be bringing the Olympic Flame to Scotland’s capital. The Olympic Torch Relay has had a phenomenal welcome throughout Scotland, and Bank of Scotland is proud to bring the excitement of London 2012 to Edinburgh. We are calling on everyone to cheer on their local Bank of Scotland Torchbearers – extraordinary people like Derek Nelson and Lesley Forrest, running in Edinburgh – who have made a difference in their communities through their contributions to sport. Our troupe of performers, the Flame Followers, are lighting up the celebrations along the route ahead of the Relay before their Flame Followers Spectacular performance in Edinburgh tonight."

Sunny Hwang, Vice President & Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said: "Samsung's Olympic Torch Relay campaign shares the Olympic spirit and encourages everyone to take part in London 2012. Samsung has offered an inspiring opportunity to people around the world to carry the Olympic Flame, as part of our ambition to make London 2012 Everyone's Olympic Games."

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://blog.london2012.com or follow us on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/london2012

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