Olympic Torch Coming To Hertfordshire
7 November 2011, 08:55 | Updated: 7 November 2011, 12:55
It's been announced the Olympic flame is going to pass through St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Hatfield on its way to the 2012 Games.
The towns and city will host the torch in July 2012. In all, more than a thousand locations across the UK will be visited.
The torch will also visit Hertfordshire's Lee Valley White Water Centre, which will host the white water rafting events at the Olympics.
London 2012 chairman Lord Coe has urged people to get behind the Olympic torch relay in the same spirit in which they got behind the royal wedding.
While he did not want to tell people in a 'Big Brother way' how to celebrate, he said, communities would be advised on how to mark the passing of the flame through their local area during its journey around the country.
"I don't want to be prescriptive about this. We're not Big Brother sitting in headquarters telling people how to enjoy themselves in an Orwellian way," he said.
Instead, he wanted to see local leaders organising celebrations at a local level, he explained.
"We saw the appetite around the royal wedding and that's what we're wanting to do,'' he said.
Key dates for the Hertfordshire area
Sat 7 Jul
Harlow, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross, Hertford, Ware, Bishop's Stortford, Stansted Mountfitchet
Sun 8 Jul
Letchworth, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Luton
Pictured is local athlete Jodie Williams and Matt Rayner from Welwyn Hatfield Council