EXCITED pupils escorted the torch on the first day of their very own torch relay.

From the opening ceremony at the Nothe Fort the torch was taken to Weymouth College by runner Maria Lochrie and her team.

It was then handed along a human chain of children from both schools into St John’s Primary, out into the grounds and cycled through Lodmoor Country Park.

A team of year five and six pupils battled the rain and wind to cycle the torch, flag and friendship book to St Andrew’s Primary before it was passed from pupil to pupil to Westfield Arts College.

St Andrew’s pupils Toby Jeffries, four, and Daniel Strawbridge, 11, carried the torch around their school to cheers and applause.

Toby said: “Today has been really fun, I got to carry the torch all the way through the school.”

After a special welcome at Westfield Arts College the torch was escorted by pupils running the torch to Bincombe Valley Primary before a convoy carried the torch to Wey Valley School where the torch spent the night.

St Nicholas and St Laurence Primary, The Wey Valley School, Wyvern School, Radipole Primary and Southill Primary will be taking part in the relay today.

Honour for Portland firm

A PROUD Portland engineering company produced 26 torches for the School to School Torch Relay.

Each school has been awarded its own engraved torch.

Calvin Samways, of Sea-NC Engineering on Southwell Business Park, said: “It’s a lot of hard work, from designing, to programming and machining but we wanted to do it.

“We’re really proud to have been the company chosen to design the schools relay torch and we are also making 25 individual torches for each of the schools to keep.

“It’s looking amazing.

“It’s a different material to the London 2012 torch and we have tried to make it as outstanding as possible.

“We have put a diamond form on the handle with 25 holes in to represent each school like on the London torch there are 8,000 holes.

“They will all be gold plated and when they are finished, will be a fantastic part of the legacy.”