Council look at bringing Olympic Torch to Rochdale

Rochdale Council has taken the first steps towards making a bid to bring the Olympic Flame to Rochdale in the run up to the 2012 London games.

This week the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced that the Olympic Flame will arrive in the UK on Friday 18TH May and will travel the UK for 70 Days, arriving in London the weekend before the 2012 Games begin.

Councillor Dale Mulgrew, who is leading the campaign, said: "This would be a great way for the people of Rochdale, and the surrounding areas, to come together and celebrate the spirit of the games. To be part of the torch rely would be a great lasting legacy of the Olympics for Rochdale and would inspire thousands of young people in many different ways.

"People may have doubts about whether it is possible to bring such a prestigious event to Rochdale but I would ask them to look at the fact we are holding the opening leg of the Tour of Britain Race to see that we can hold huge sporting events."

Rob Young, Northwest Coordinator for the 2012 Games, NWDA, said: "The Northwest is playing a major part in ensuring a lasting legacy from London 2012 - from hosting the UK's first Pre Games Training Camps and having the highest number of projects receiving the Inspire mark, to our businesses playing a vital role in building the Games venues themselves.

"It's great to see the region making the most of this once-in-a- lifetime opportunity. With 2 years to go, there are still further areas in which Rochdale, and everyone in the Northwest, can be part of. This ranges from the London 2012 education programme Get Set, which over a third of Rochdale schools are already registered on, to the Torch Relay, which will help to showcase the best of the region on a national and international stage."