YOUNG torchbearers kept up the Olympic spirit on the third day of their own relay.

The School to School Torch relay continued from Southill Primary School in Weymouth.

Excited children across Weymouth and Portland ignored the bad weather and celebrated the Olympic-inspired relay.

The torch is being escorted by schoolchildren on a trail around each of the 25 schools in the Chesil Education Partnership.

It will end with a ‘closing ceremony’ at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy next week.

An embroidered flag with the name of each school is travelling with the torch and a message of inspiration is being added to a book of friendship along the way.

The flag, torch and book will be presented to a special guest at the end of the relay on Monday.

A ‘leaving ceremony’ was held at Southill Primary School yesterday where the torch had arrived the evening before to the sounds of drumming and cheerleading.

Acting headteacher Wayne Roberts said: “Our Year Six cycling team, two community police officers, staff and parents cycled the torch to Chickerell Primary.”

Cheers and applause echoed around Chickerell’s playground as the whole school gathered to see the torch arrive.

A team of lucky Year Six pupils piled into a minibus decorated with flags and Olympic-inspired art to drive the torch to Budmouth College.

Sarah Mortimer, Olympic school champion and Year Six teacher, said: “We chose the group of Year Six children to go with the torch to Budmouth because it is their final year and we wanted to create a lasting legacy.”

Year Nine GCSE students at Budmouth lined up to welcome the torch before a message of friendship was shared.

At Portesham Primary schoolchildren and staff gave the torch a huge welcome with a mascot dance.

Teacher Amy Fox said: “After the torch arrived we did a relay through the school with the students passing the torch to each other.”

The torch completed the next leg of its journey to Holy Trinity Primary on a motorbike and was waved off by excited children.

Celebrations will continue today at Holy Trinity Wyke Infants, Wyke Juniors and All Saints School.

Relay proves an inspiration to enthusiastic children

• Victor Schack-West, five, of Southill Primary School, said: “I got to hold the torch and it was good. Drumming was my favourite part of the day it was fantastic.”

• Isabelle Davies, 10, youth Olympic ambassador for Portesham Primary, said: “My favourite part of the relay was being given the torch to hold and our school relay.”

• Blaize Collins, 10, youth Olympic ambassador for Portesham Primary, said: “As ambassadors we were chosen to receive the torch from Budmouth College.”

• Ola Zaskorska, five, of Southill Primary School, said: “We welcomed the torch from Radipole and it was exciting. I liked drumming but it hurt my fingers a bit.”

• Katy Wilkinson, 14, of Budmouth College, said: “The relay brings us all together and it is good fun.”

• Beth Clent, 14, of Budmouth College, said: “It is good to see how enthusiastic everyone is about the torch relay.