Olympic flame to burn at Groats... for 15 minutes

John Green, the chairman of Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council, is pleased the Olympic flame is coming to the Caithness landmark in the early evening of Sunday, June 10, but would have preferred if it was there for longer.

It is understood it will be at Groats for a photo opportunity and it is hoped some kind of event will be held to mark the occasion.

“The fact that it is coming to John O’Groats must be welcomed but it would have been better if it could be here for a bit longer,” Mr Green told the Caithness Courier yesterday.

“I would think a lot of people will come to see it, so hopefully there will be some sort of event to mark the occasion on the day.”

John O’Groats is not part of the main route but is a separate event – one of many being staged at locations throughout the UK.

The official Olympic flame will arrive in the Highlands on June 9 and travel on to Kirkwall and Lerwick before being taken to Stornoway and back to the Highland capital on June 11.

Although the Olympic flame will not be passing through Caithness, several local people have been chosen as torchbearers in other parts of the Highlands.

They have been chosen for their community work and achievements and include 18-year-old Wick teenagers Louis Mackinnon and Andrew Sinclair, who will be carrying the flame through Inverness on Saturday, June 9.

Louis, who stays with his family in Weir Crescent, Milton, is delighted to take part in the historic occasion.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am very honoured to have been chosen. It came as a bit of a shock to me but I am really excited about it and looking forward to taking part,” he said.

Andrew, from Broadhaven Road in Wick, said it is “a great honour” to be selected and is looking forward to being a torchbearer in Inverness. He and Louis will also be involved in the photocall at John O’Groats.

Eighteen-year-old Jamie Henderson, from Thurso, will be carrying the flame through the Highland capital on June 11. Seventeen people will be involved in the event over the two days.

Jim Mackay, who is 54 and from Thurso, will be part of the five-strong team carrying the torch through Aviemore on the same day, June 11.

Carolyn Pierpont, who comes from Wick but lives in Montrose, will be one of the torchbearers in Forfar on Tuesday, June 12.

She was “elated” when she found out she had been chosen and is “looking forward to taking part in the event”.

Kate Barnett, from Thurso, will be one of the torchbearers in Aberdeen on Monday, June 11. She suffered from cancer and has raised over £20,000 for charity.

When it reaches the Highlands, torchbearers will carry the Olympic flame through various locations before it is taken to Inverness where there will be a celebration at the Northern Meeting Park.

Highland music and culture will be represented by the Inverness Festivals Band and Bruce Macgregor and friends.

As well as Inverness, the torch relay will pass through North communities including Fort William, Spean Bridge, Drumnadrochit, Stornoway, Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey.

In all, nearly 8000 people will carry the Olympic flame as it journeys across the UK. It will arrive in the UK on Friday, May 18.

The relay starts the following morning and will travel around the UK for 70 days. The flame will arrive in London on Saturday, July 21, the weekend before the Games begin – with the opening ceremony on Friday, July 27.