Luton and Dunstable Olympics 2012 site launch

The famous flame arrives in London Road on Sunday July 8, the 51st day of its journey, and will stay overnight for celebrations in Old Bedford Road before making its way to Dunstable on Monday, July 9.

It will pass through Manchester Street, George Street, Park Street, Castle Street, Chapel Viaduct and onto Dunstable Road.

One of the torchbearers carrying the flame for Luton is Simon Stothard, 29, of Langdale Road, Dunstable.

He said: “Just being nominated was a great surprise and honour. Actually being an Olympic torchbearer will be absolutely amazing – a wonderful finale to everything I’m doing this year.”

Simon, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, is cycling from John O’Groats to Lands End in June.

He admitted: “It’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I’m sure I’ll be able to manage 300m with the torch.”

Silsoe woman Joanna Hancock will be carrying the torch for the Cambridge to Luton part of the route on July 8.

She said: “I am over the moon and incredibly honoured. I don’t see how I am different to any other person, helping people, ‘digging in’ and smiling just come naturally to me.”

Joanna has helped a number of charities over the past few years but especially The Prostate Cancer Charity, an illness her father battled for two years and which he sadly died from last summer.

Joanna said: “His death only inspired me more to help others, It breaks my heart that he won’t be able to see me with the torch, but I know he is so proud, and if my story inspires one person to help another, or creates just one smile then that makes it even more fantastic.”

Other torchbearers for the Luton part of the journey are Stu King, 29, Helen Mcfarlane, 42, Hollie Baxter, 17, Babatunde Ajisola, 32, David Cole, 71, and Justin Joseph-Beeston, 40, all from Luton

Jacqueline Dowsing, 46, Simon Stothard, 29 and Ben Jell, 33, from Dunstable, Kieran Jays, 12, from Houghton Regis, Emma Marks, 15 Matt Roche, 15, and Bruce Benedickter, 45, from Leighton Buzzard, Katrina Blunt, 33, from Pitstone, Kevin Lawlor, 54, from Hitchin, Gemma Collis, 19 from Aylesbury, Marcus Burnett, 13, from Bedford, Charlotte Ellis, 18 from Bedfordshire, Roger Crossley, 53 from Bampton, Tom Bennett, 54, from Oxford, Kyle Mandry, 48, from Menomonee Falls, Barry Funnell, 49, from Clapham and Rich Walsh, 22, from Berkhamsted and are also carrying the flame.

A total of 8,000 torchbearers will take the torch on its 70-day journey which begins in Land’s End on 19 May.

Visit our Olympics and Love Luton Festival microsite: PremEvents

> Are you a torchbearer? We’d love to hear from you, our contact details are on page 2