MORE than 50,000 people are expected to line the streets of Saffron Walden to welcome the arrival of the Olympic Flame on Saturday, July 7.

Exciting new details of the Torch’s route through the district have finally been unveiled, with the whole event kicking-off at 11.50am in Stansted Mountfitchet.

Police have warned Saffron Walden Town Council to prepare for the visit of up to 50,000 people looking to catch a glimpse of the Torch as it passes through the town.

THE ROUTE

Inspirational Torchbearers will carry the iconic Flame along Pines Hill, Benfleet Road and Cambridge Road in Stansted. It will then be whisked away in a convoy vehicle for arrival in Newport at 12.10pm.

From there, it will be paraded along London Road to the junction with Nursery Gardens.

Saffron Walden gets its chance to host the Torch from 12.30pm, where people lining Newport Road from its junction with Beeches Close will get to see the Torchbearers.

It will then continue on London Road, past the district council’s offices, and down the High Street onto Bridge Road. It is here the Torch will be returned to the convoy and taken to the next destination.

Cllr Mark Lemon, chairman of the district council’s Olympic Working Group, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our residents. I would be delighted to see as many people as possible lining the route to welcome the flame into our local area.

“It is also an opportunity for us all to celebrate the achievements of the inspirational Torchbearers and share in the excitement the Olympic Torch Relay.

“The announcement today really brings the route to life as we will all know exactly where we can see the Flame.”

The street level detail and timings for the London 2012 Torch Relay can be viewed in full at london2012.com/olympictorchrelay

TORCHBEARERS

Although the list of Torchbearers across Uttlesford has yet to be announced, one inspirational woman from Saffron Walden will be carrying the flame through Newmarket.

Louise Barnes, 28, of Sewards End, had cancer four times in four years from the age of 14.

Having had a titanium prosthesis in her arm and then losing a third of one lung and half of the other, the illness returned to the original site, resulting in large skin grafts on her shoulder.

Louise said: “I was thrilled to receive confirmation that I will be taking part in the Olympic Torch Relay. It’s really exciting to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Despite her illness, Louise finished school and went on to work in the Radiotherapy Department at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where she qualified as an assistant practitioner working with and helping victims of cancer.

She returned to education at the age of 26 and is now at Ipswich University completing the second year of her radiotherapy degree.

Louise also works tirelessly to help raise money for Saffron Walden Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT).

In the past three years her and the team have raised more than �170,000, which went towards the opening of the new TCT ward at Addenbrooke’s Hospital last month.

Sebastian Coe, chairman of LOCOG said: “Today we bring the Olympic Torch Relay to life. The Flame symbolises the Olympic spirit and its journey around the UK will bring the excitement of the Games to our streets.

“Now the people know the route the Olympic Flame will be carried along and the Torchbearers for their community, they can start planning how they might celebrate and make it Uttlesford district’s moment to shine.”

An average of 115 Torchbearers a day will carry the Olympic Flame during its 8,000 mile journey around the UK – which will see it pass with ten miles of over 95 per cent of the population.

It will arrive at the Olympic Stadium on July 27 for the Opening Ceremony, where the cauldron will be lit to signify the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.