On 23rd May, a huge crowd of Clifton High School pupils, parents and staff turned out in the early morning to watch the Olympic Torch be carried through Clifton. There was an atmosphere of great excitement as official reps warmed up the crowd and kept the children entertained as the sun shone. The path of the torch was marked out on either side by CHS flags and smiling, cheering people of all ages flying Union Jacks and waving streamers. It was a fantastic picture.
Despite the torch taking a wrong turn before reaching Clifton and being delayed by twenty minutes or so, it arrived nonetheless among a convoy of promotional buses and jolly police bikes. The torch itself was carried by Jamie Cooper, the youngest soldier ever to have been injured in Iraq, at just 18. Five years on, it was inspirational to see a man torn apart by mortar blasts rebuilding his life and carrying the Olympic Flame through his hometown.
We are most grateful to all the staff and parents who helped make this an experience to remember. It's also great to hear about Clifton High School pupils and parents sending messages of support to Olympic athletes - find out more about that here.
Check out the video below to see the torch being carried past. Warning: this video is a little loud, so turn down your volume a notch - spirits were running high!