PUPILS across Weymouth and Portland are gearing up for their very own torch relay.

The School to School Torch Relay will kick off at the Nothe Fort on Monday, July 2 and end a week later on July 9.

Excitement is building as staff and children from each of the 25 schools in the Chesil Education Partnership will embrace the legacy of the 2012 Olympic Games.

A total of 26 torches have been made – one for each school and the main torch used for the duration of the relay.

A flag and book of friendship will also be collected on route to present at the Sailing Academy along with the torch at the closing ceremony.

Caroline Peer, Chesil development leader, said: “Each school is doing something unique to celebrate their role in the torch relay.

“It really is a fantastic event where pupils from the area can embrace the Games and the legacy of the sailing events.

“Each school will get their very own torch to keep with the name of the school engraved on it.”

A teacher from each school, chosen as the Olympic School Champion, attended a meeting to finalise plans for the event.

Ms Peer added: “A flag will be carried alongside the torch with the name and signature of each school added along the way.

“As well as this, every school will also produce a message of friendship which will all be combined in a book to present at the closing ceremony.”

From rowing, cycling, dancing and drumming each school will welcome the torch with its own unique celebrations.

The opening ceremony will be attended by Mayor Margaret Leicester and a special Olympic guest who will kickstart the relay along with students and staff.

The Olympic guest will light the torch and hand it to the first runner from Weymouth College.

It will be run out of the Nothe and be rowed across the harbour to the beach where a tunnel for the torch will be created by a flotilla of boats.

Before it reaches Weymouth College the torch will visit the schools sporting events on the beach.

Radipole Primary will welcome the torch with their own school sports day and then escort the torch to Southill Primary in a car decorated as a swan.

When the torch gets to Portesham Primary pupils will unite to perform a mascot dance.

After the torch has made its way around each school it will head towards the closing ceremony at the Sailing Academy on the final day.

Representatives from all Portland schools will run into the centre with the torch, flag and the book of friendship messages where they will hand the torch to a special sailor guest.