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Portsmouth Turns Out In Force To Celebrate Olympic Torch Relay

Author: Anna Howell and Haley Storey Published: 18th July 2012 10:55

Sunday evening saw the iconic Olympic Torch relay reach Southsea Common, with around 70,000 residents and visitors surrounding the stage to watch the evening's free entertainment which included performances from Britain's Got Talent runners-up, Twist n Pulse and hip-hop rappers, Rizzle Kicks. 

After arriving on the Gosport Ferry, the flame made its way through Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, down Queens Street towards the Guildhall and onto Southsea Common. AboutMyArea was there to capture some of the action and some of the photos have been provided by the community.

If you have photos of the torch on its route, please email to portsmouth@aboutmyarea.co.uk.

  Jonathon Bamber was the last torch bearer for the day and lit the cauldron on the celebration stage

  The arrival of the Olympic flame to the Southsea celebrations

More Oympic Flame Photos from the Day

Thanks to everyone who has contributed their photos of the Olympic Flame in Portsmouth allowing us to build up a picture. Please email your photos to portsmouth@aboutmyarea.co.uk.

 Mazie Watson being interviewed by BBC Radio Solent and BBC South. Photo courtesy of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

 Mazie Watson (12) holds the Olympic Torch. Photo courtesy of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

 Photo courtesy of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

 Phot courtesy of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

 Mazie Watson exchanges the flame with Collette Hayes (18). Photo by Dave Arwell

 Collette Hayes carries the Olympic flame photo courtesy of Kim Holloway

 Waiting for the Olympic Flame at Guildhall Square. Photo by Carol Joyce

 Waiting for the Olympic flame at Guildhall Square with Leader of the Council Gerald Vernon Jackson, Photo by Carol Joyce

 Entertainers at the Guildhall Portsmouth. Photo by Carol Joyce

 Performers at Guildhall Square Portsmouth. Photo by Carol joyce

 Olympic Flame arrives in Guildhall Square, Portsmouth. Photo by Carol Joyce

 Olympic Flame is on its way through Guildhall Walk. Photo courtesy of Graham Witcher

 Torchbearer waiting for the Olympic flame to arrive. Photo by Sue McShane

 Olympic torchbearer in Hampshire Terrace.  Photo courtesy of Maricar Jagger

 Olympic torch handover in Hampshire Terrace. Photo by Maricar Jagger

 Twist n Pulse

 Twist n Pulse wow the crowds in Portsmouth

 Twist n Pulse on the Southsea Olympic stage with Samsung dancers

 Pulse from Twist n Pulse in need of a lift

 Most Wanted dance troupe

 The Rizzle Kicks are finally on the Southsea Celebration stage

 Rizzle Kicks

 Rizzle Kicks

 Rizzle Kicks

 Rizzle from Rizzle Kicks meet the Southsea crowd

 Rizzle from Rizzle Kicks

 Arriving at Southsea Common, outside Queen's Hotel. Photo by Lisa Jarmola

 Torch bearer Jonathon Bamber carries the flame onto the stage

 The cauldron is lit with the Olympic flame in Southsea

Photos from Monday 16th July 2012 as the Olympic Flame Leaves Portsmouth

 John Jenkins at Fratton Park with the Olympic Flame. Image courtesy of London 2012

 John Jenkins leaves Fratton Park with the Olympic Flame, photo courtesy of London 2012

 Photo of the Olympic flame handover taken at the roundabout near the Pompey Centre by Gemma Mason

 Olympic flame in Portsmouth, by Gemma Mason

 Mary Beech, 8, waiting for the Olympic flame

 Linvoy Primus carries the Olympic flame through North End, Portsmouth. Photo courtesy of London 2012

 Olympic flame arrives in Kingston Crescent, Portsmouth. Photo  by Alexandra Beech

 Olympic flame in Kingston Crescent, photo by Alexandra Beech

The fun began at 5pm with a film showing the torch's journey so far since leaving Athens 53 days previously, and highlighted some of the celebrity torch bearers who helped it on its journey, including unofficial Great British mascot, David Beckham. 

The entertainment was divided into three segments, with each being presented by one of the main London 2012 sponsors, Samsung, Lloyds TSB and Coca Cola. 

Samsung were first to kick off the celebrations by staging an extravaganza of street dancers, including Twist and Pulse.  Lloyds TSB showcased a group of acrobats who wowed the audience with a stage show of stunning and breath-taking routines, involving a bicycle and two poles, and finally Coca Cola presented chart sensation, Rizzle Kicks, who had the crowd jumping and dancing along whilst they performed a selection of their most popular hit singles.

Also, throughout the evening, Portsmouth City Council presented some local performers in two ten-minute slots of entertainment, including a specially choreographed dance piece by Hampshire Dance who performed first in
the Torchbearer Corridor dancing their way up onto the stage. The New Theatre Royal Little Actors and Youth Theatre performed a bespoke a Dickensian piece.

Local lady, Joyce Kaley from Portsea said:

"It is such a privilege to be here, it will be one of thosemoments where people ask you where you were, and I am proud that I can say I was here."

Portsmouth College student, Joe Mitchell, who studies at Highbury College, said:

"It was really nice to see everyone coming together for an occasion like this, it's hard not to feel really patriotic today, not just proud to be British, but proud to be from Portsmouth too!"

The torch arrived, carried by Jonathon Bamber from Denmead, and the crowd cheered as it was lowered into the cauldron on the stage. 

The evening was rounded up by the Portsmouth Music Service choir, consisting of 30 school children from across the city, who performed three songs from the Singathlon songbook which is part of the London 2012 Inspire Mark programme. 
 

Previous news

Today the Olympic torch arrives in Portsmouth and residents have the chance to become part of one of the biggest events in our recent history. 

Making an early start in Southampton, the flame is travelling by plane to Guersney and Jersey today before coming to Gosport, Fareham and then Portsmouth this evening.

Email your Olympic Torch photos to portsmouth@Aboutmyarea.co.uk so we can add to our gallery.

The Olympic flame will be welcomed with several events across the city including including an arrival event at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, a welcome event at the Portsmouth Live Site (Big Screen) in Guildhall Square, evening celebration concert with guests including the Rizzle Kicks on Southsea Commmon and a farewell event for local schools on the following morning at Portsmouth Football Club.

The street-by-street route and the names of those who will be carrying the Olympic Flame when it comes to Portsmouth were announced back in March.

The Olympic Torch Route

On Sunday, 15 July 2012 at around 6pm, the Olympic Flame will arrive in the city by water (from Gosport), and will initially travel through Portsmouth Historic Dockyard; past the world-famous naval vessels HMS Warrior 1860 and HMS Victory.

From the Historic Dockyard, the Flame will travel along Queen Street and through Portsea - one of the oldest parts of Portsmouth - towards the city centre, past St John's Catholic Cathedral, along Edinburgh Road, and on to the bottom end of Commercial Road. The Flame then travels past Portsmouth and Southsea railway station, under the civic offices on to the city's Olympic Live Site (Big Screen) at Guildhall Square at about 6:30pm.

The Flame will then cross the square and travel along Guildhall Walk and onto to Winston Churchill Avenue. The Flame then travels along Landport Terrace, Hampshire Terrace and on to Duisburg Way, before it reaches Southsea Common and the FREE evening celebrations at about 6:50pm. 

Entertainment Including the Rizzle Kicks

Portsmouth City Council will present two, ten-minute slots of entertainment from local performers during the evening celebration. This will include a specially choreographed dance piece by Hampshire Dance performed in the Torchbearer Corridor leading up onto the stage. The New Theatre Royal Little Actors and Youth Theatre will also be performing a bespoke a Dickensian piece.  Finally a Portsmouth Music Service choir of 30 school children from across the city will bring the evening to a close by performing three songs from the Singathlon songbook, which is part of the London 2012 Inspire Mark programme.

The three Presenting Partners (Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung) will also each provide 20 minutes of exciting entertainment for the event. This will include a performance by the Rizzle Kicks courtesy of Presenting Partner Coca-Cola. Lloyds TSB will be bringing stunning acrobatic performances to the site and Samsung will be staging dance performances.

Saying Goodbye

Early on Monday, 16 July, the city will be giving the Flame a proper Pompey send-off, with a brilliant event just for local schoolchildren at the home of Portsmouth Football Club, Fratton Park. From here, the Flame will travel past the Pompey Centre and along Goldsmith Avenue (about 7:30am) towards Fratton. The Flame will then start the final leg of its journey as it travels along Fratton Road, Kingston Road and then left on to Kingston Crescent (7:40 - 8am). From here it will be transported by vehicle out of the city via the M275 on its journey to Petersfield.

The streets along the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, which can be viewed in full at www.london2012.com/olympictorchrelay, gives street-by-street details and proposed start times for when the Olympic Flame will travel through Portsmouth. Residents living in and around the city can find out when it will be travelling along their nearest high street, through their town square or past their local village shop.

The Torchbearers confirmed to carry the Flame in Portsmouth include those that were successful through the public nomination processes run by LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. LOCOG has endeavoured to slot all community Torchbearers within an hour of their nomination address so family and friends can cheer them on. Each Torchbearer will wear a white and gold uniform which been designed by adidas.

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: "We're delighted the Olympic Flame is coming to Portsmouth and staying overnight. This is great opportunity for residents to have a share in the excitement of London 2012, and we're lucky there are so many chances to see the Torch Relay in our great city. I'm also very much looking forward to welcoming the inspirational torchbearers.

"The Olympic Torch Relay is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I'd encourage everybody, including those outside of the city, to come along, line the streets and come to the evening celebration to see this piece of Portsmouth history." 

An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27 July 2012 for the lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games. 

Portsmouth schools can also now access free learning resources linked to the Olympic Torch Relay through Get Set (london2012.com/getset), the official London 2012 education programme. The activities are designed to help schools and colleges make the most of the Relay by lining the route, and cheering on their local Torchbearers. Resources include ideas for making Flame hats and shakers to welcome the Flame, an assembly presentation to get the school behind a Torchbearer and a film showing one Get Set network school's preparations for the Relay.

For more ideas on how you can line the streets and things to do, check out the London 2012 website: www.london2012.com/get-involved/local-leaders/line-the-streets

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