Light that never goes out hits Orkney and Shetland

Senior features writer

Monday 11 June 2012

The Olympic torch reached the most northerly point of its journey around the UK yesterday when it was carried through Orkney and Shetland by land, sea and air.

NEW HEIGHTS: Olympic torchbearer Mathew Cox was surrounded by Jarl vikings in Lerwick yesterday.

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Rebecca McQuillan

The flame arrived in Kirkwall in the morning on a flight from Inverness and subsequently travelled 30 miles across Orkney and Shetland, on its journey between Inverness and Stornoway.

Twenty torchbearers carried the flame in Orkney and 20 in Shetland. Among them was Inga Kemp, 22, nominated for her work in netball and hockey youth development coaching, who started the relay in front of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall.

Around 90 local children performed a specially-commissioned song marking the visit, For The Islands We Sing, written by local musicians Brian Cromarty and Douglas Montgomery, in conjunction with local school pupils.The final Orkney torchbearer, ultra-distance runner William Sichel, 58, from Sanday, lit the Orkney Cauldron at the Pickaquoy Centre's athletics track.Orkney Islands Council leader Steven Heddle said: "The torch relay has attracted huge interest and generated much celebration all around Britain."This is the first time an Olympic flame has come to Scotland and to Orkney and the council has been working hard to ensure we are able to give the torch relay a warm Orkney welcome – and that the public can enjoy the historic occasion safely and focus on having fun and showcasing our famous hospitality to the world."The flame was later carried on a 50-minute flight between Kirkwall and Sumburgh in Shetland, where the first torchbearer was John Nicolson, 74, from Scalloway, nominated for his work in providing sport and community facilities in Shetland.The flame visited The Knab Lookout and was met with a Viking guard of honour before travelling across Clickimin Loch in a Viking longboat. It was taken to Lerwick by Faye Richardson, 22, a lifeguard. After leaving Shetland, the torch was carried to John O'Groats in the afternoon and on to Stornoway.Airline Loganair had to get special exemptions from the Civil Aviation Authority to allow naked flames to be carried on its flights between Inverness and Kirkwall, Sumburgh and Stornoway. The torches were carried in miners' Davy lamps as an added safety measure.The torch cradles had a seat on the flights and travelled beside an Olympic organising committee flame security officer.Chris Rocks, 24, from Shetland, was one of the Lerwick torchbearers, a fencer who won the Scottish Open Championship in 2010 and bronze in the Commonwealth Fencing Championships the same year.Also in Shetland was Zoe Buchanan, 16, a gold medallist in the British Transplant Games last year. Zoe had a kidney transplant 17 months ago, using a kidney donated by her mother. Among the Orkney torchbearers was Helen Corsie, 39, from Kirkwall, a record breaking shot putter. Loganair's chief training captain, David Miller, is from Orkney and took the flame back to his place of birth. He said: "I'm used to landing on Scotland's islands with important cargo but never before have I been given the chance to deliver such a symbolic piece of history."l Another relay, A Hansel Of Film, began from Shetland as part of the Cultural Olympiad yesterday. Short films made by the public around the UK are to be relayed from the islands to Southampton calling at 23 venues before returning for Shetland's film festival in September.

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Light that never goes out hits Orkney and Shetland

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