Tendring Petition For Olympic Torch

18 November 2011, 16:23 | Updated: 18 November 2011, 17:23

A petition has been launched in Tendring to bring the Olympic Torch to the area.

It is the only district in Essex which the relay will not be visiting, from a list of more than 1,000 villages, towns and cities across the country.

Tendring District Council are asking the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to reconsider the route to include the area.

Council Leader Neil Stock and Stephen Mayzes, the Cabinet Member for Tourism and Community Life, have written to Lord Coe, Chair of LOCOG, urging a change.

"The Olympic Games and the Olympic Legacy has the potential to inspire people across the country but at present the residents of Tendring are feeling snubbed as the Torch Relay completely bypasses the District," they said.

"A very minor detour of the Torch's route along the A137 from Ipswich via Manningtree to Colchester would mean so much and demonstrate that although we have residents living in the most deprived area in the country, they are not forgotten on the Olympic and world stage."

Cllr Stock and Cllr Mayzes have asked to be able to discuss the matter with Lord Coe in an attempt to bring about a satisfactory resolution.

The petition will be available at council buildings, sports centres and swimming pools. Residents will have until the end of the year to sign up.