London 2012 Olympics: Paralympic flames to be united after journey from four peaks

THE Paralympic flames will be lit on the summit of the highest peaks of the four home nations, London 2012 has announced.

Groups of young disabled and non-disabled Scouts will get the honour of striking the fire-starting rods that will spark the flames.

The national flames will be lit at the peaks of Scotland’s Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike in England, Snowdon in Wales, as well as Northern Ireland’s Slieve Donard, on 22 August.

The flames will be carried to Paralympic celebrations in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff before heading to Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic movement, where they will be united at a ceremony on 28 August.

This will create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame, which will then be carried on a 24-hour relay to the opening of the Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London.

It will be carried on the 92-mile journey by 580 torchbearers working in teams of five.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said: “We have created a unique identity for the Paralympic Torch Relay which will be a celebration of courage, determination, inspiration and equality that every Paralympian represents.

“By creating the four flames through human endeavour at the four highest peaks in the UK, we will ensure that the spirit of each home nation is represented in the Paralympic Flame.”