The Queen's Baton, heralding the final countdown to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, has touched down in Britain.

The flight carrying the hand-crafted baton, containing a personal message from the Queen which will be a key part of the July 23 opening ceremony, arrived at Jersey Airport just before 4pm.

It has been taken on an epic tour of the Commonwealth since the relay began at Buckingham Palace in October. The Queen's message calls on the athletes of the Commonwealth to Glasgow for the start of the Games.

The arrival marks the start of the home nations' leg of the baton's 288-day international journey towards the start of the Games.

Unlike the Olympic and Paralympic torch relays where the flame was passed through hundreds of torches, there is just one baton for the Commonwealth Games.

This means that up to 4,000 people will have carried the Queen's message before it is read out to the world when the Games begin.

For the next 32 days, it will travel through Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Wales and England, rallying athletes as they get ready to compete for medals in Glasgow.

A 40-day journey through 400 communities across Scotland will begin on June 14 when the baton reaches the proud host nation of the 2014 Games.

As part of today's arrival, diver Tom Daley is to carry the baton at St Aubin's harbour, Jersey.

He will be joined by 23-year-old Team Jersey medal hopeful and British indoor championship shot-putter Zane Duquemin.