VOTE: Lone Bognor resident to carry Olympic torch

Just two residents out of 24 bearers will be holding the symbol of the Games when it visits Bognor on July 16.

But six Germans and three residents of the Southampton area will be holding aloft the famous flame during its 64-minute tour of the town.

The sole Bognor resident to have the honour of running with the flame through the town centre is Gabby Broadhurst.

She will be one of 12 torch bearers in the central section of the torch’s route from the A259 around Hotham Park into the High Street and Queensway before it heads north up the A29 to Frensham Avenue.

Gabby, 44, said she believed her leg of the relay was between Queensway and Canada Grove.

“I’m really looking forward to carrying the torch. There has been so much excitement about it,” she said.

“It makes it more significant I will be in the torch relay in my home town. It’s an amazing thing to have in the town. I have lived all my life here and my sons have grown up here.

“But it’s quite shocking I’m the only resident of Bognor taking part here. I would have thought there would have been a lot of other people in the town who could have taken part.”

Gabby has combined her training for the relay with preparations to make another appearance in the Great North Run this autumn.

A further resident of the Bognor area, Kevin Bryne, is among the five who will make up the relay through Westergate soon after it has left Bognor.

Another five torchbearers will be running through North Bersted and two in South Bersted.

None comes from around Bognor. But two come from Germany.

The view of the London Olympic Games’ organising committee is that including runners from overseas reflects the multinational spirit of the Games.

What do you think?

Should the Olympic torch relay include more local residents? Cast your vote in the panel to the right of the screen and leave your comments below.