Local hero in torch relay

Carl Fletcher, 26, of St Monica’s Avenue said he had no idea he’d even been nominated until he was contacted by the supermarket chain to say he’d been shortlisted.

The former Icknield High pupil carried the torch from New Change to Cannon Street in the City and his entire family turned out to cheer him on.

He said: “It was absolutely brilliant, the most amazing experience.

“I’ll never forget the way everyone started shouting our names the moment we stepped off the coach.

“Our team of five took over from Jon Snow of Channel 4.

“He was really, really nice. We had our picture taken with him and he was going up to the crowd and shaking people’s hands.”

Carl has been volunteering at Keech Hospice Care since he was 16.

“I help with the Smiley Sam float at Christmas and do marshalling at the Midnight Walk, things like that,” he said.

“I started because Keech looked after a relative of mine in the adult unit and a couple of my friends were there too.”

In addition Carl – a first aider at Dunstable’s Mill Vale School – teaches adults with Downs syndrome. He also works with St John Ambulance and the SOS Bus Luton.

Games’ sponsors Sainsbury’s gave Carl his three-sided mirror finish torch as a memento.

He’ taking it to the hospice so the little patients can have their picture taken with it too.