Live updates on the Olympic flame's journey through Wiltshire (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Thousands welcome torch to Chippenham, Calne and Marlborough

9:18am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in News

Follow the Olympic flame live as it comes through Chippenham, Calne and Marlborough today as Gazette & Herald reporters Alex Winter, Tom Mooney, Lewis Cowen and Nigel Kerton blog throughout the day.

1.22pm: The convoy leaves Royal Wootton Bassett for Swindon, where the first runner to take up the torch here will be Jane Daly, 45, a campaigner for awareness of symptoms of ovarian cancer since the death of her mother. She has helped to raise £250,000.

1.07pm: Ben Fox, 16, takes the torch - he wants to compete in wheelchair basketball at the 2016 Paralympic Games.

1.06pm: One of the youngest torchbearers Daisy Barker, 13, who cares for her little sister and her mother, who has brain cancer, and raises money for cancer charities, has her turn carrying a torch.

12.56pm: The flame arrives in Royal Wootton Bassett and the first to run with it is Mexico 1968 400m hurdles Olympic gold medallist and Superstars legend David Hemery, who lives near Marlborough.

12.14pm: Rob Thomas tweets: Marlborough has def been the best town in the #OlympicTorchRelay so far. Humongous crowds! Very proud of my town :)

12.10pm: Lovely moment as torchbearers arrive back in Chippenham. Lots of cheers and photos being taken. They will soon be presented with their certificates. AW

12.04pm: Wiltshire Police say the Olympic torch convoy is making up time and is now only eight to nine minutes behind schedule as it heads from Marlborough.

11.46am: European modern pentathlete champion Freyja Prentice begins second leg of the town relay, taking the torch from 59-year-old Swindon teacher Iain Prentice. NK

11.41am: Olympic torch convoy heads towards Marlborough and there’s not an inch to spare in with the crowds now gathered to watch the torch parade now estimated at 6,000. People are watching from the top of St Peter’s Church tower, from shop windows overlooking the High Street and even from the flat roofs above some of the shops. Caroline Spindlow, headteacher of St Peter’s School, has just bought all her 212 students ice creams because it is so hot and Preshute School children have been promised one on their walk home. NK

11.38am: Police are waiting for torch bearers to escort them to Chippenham town hall, apparently in case anyone tries to grab the torches. A horse covered in flags is making its way through town... AW

11.36am: Calne town centre has returned to normality. Torch bearers will be attending a civic reception at the town hall shortly. TM

11.28am: Chippenham torch bearers are now returning to the town hall to receive their certificates after a little detour to Calne – there will then be a private civic reception for the runners. People are starting to drift away from the town centre - Jennings Fun Fair is in Island Park from 3pm today. AW

11.25am: An estimated 5,500 people are lining Marlborough streets, among them children from St John’s, St Mary’s, St Peter’s, Preshute, Easton Royal and St Michael’s Aldbourne schools. Caroline Spindlow, head of St Peter’s School, which has a contingent of 200 children watching the procession, said: “What a great day. This is one they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

11.12am: Chelsea and England U21 footballer Josh McEachran completes the final Calne leg of the Olympic torch relay.

10.50am: Grace Henney starts the Calne route at Springfields School and hands over to Christian Malford swimmer Issy Collings at Quarr Barton. 12 year old Benji Barbosa-Goa ran past the huge crowd in the town centre. TM

10.40am: The torch is now in the LOCOG convoy being transported to Calne - even including those who carried the torch in Chippenham. Presentations at the town hall to the Chippenham torchbearers not expected until at least 11.30am. AW

10.39am: The LOCOG advance party has arrived in Marlborough and has put up the Olympic flags outside the town hall. Marlborough Community Choir has taken up position outside the library to serenade the torch as it passes through. NK

10.37am: Phoebe Kemp, a wheelchair user from Box, was a last minute substitution to carry the torch on one of the sections through Chippenham. Di Vose

10.35am: Ugandan church choir now performing at the Buttercross. Certificates for torchbearers to be presented at the town hall soon. AW

10.32am: Tom Perkins is handed the Olympic torch for his leg of the historic journey through Chippenham.

10.28am: Eliza Harris tweets: Yes Chippenham is trending! Amazing torch relay, been a part of history! And I touched it! #TorchInChippenham

10.26am:Gary Lawrence tweets: Must be ten deep in the High Street in #Chippenham. Not seen crowds there like it since Chipp Town came back from Wembley

10.23am: Torch has just come through. Really lovely moment with everyone cheering. Unexpectedly teary seeing it come through. Nice one Chippenham! AW

10.20am: Torch is almost on High street! Very exciting! Just spotted our MP Duncan Hames who said it's a beautiful day for such a historic event. AW

10.18am: Thomas Mooney tweets: Hearing the covoy won't have a rest stop at Abbeyfield School in an attempt to make up time #Calne #OlympicTorch The Fynamore School kids are making their voices heard among the crowd with some chanting #Calne #OlympicTorch

10.16am: Bank manager Willie Cruickshank, 58, from South Gloucestershire completes his run.

10.10am: Rob Warwick completes his run and hands over the torch.

10.09am: Thomas Mooney tweets: Police in #Calne say the torch is currently 18 mins behind schedule #OlympicTorch

10.06am: Preparations for the first runner in Chippenham - local fireman Rob Warwick, 46 - now well underway.

10.04am: The Fitzgraham Academy of Dance just performed the official Olympic dance in Chippenham to lots of cheers. It's a scorcher today so bring sun cream and water! AW

10.00am: Convoy has just come off M4 at junction 17! Nearly here! AW

9.55am The first family to take up position in Marlborough High Street, near the town hall, is nine-year-old Chris Mundy and his mum Sashi. Chris, a pupil at Baydon St Nicholas School, arrived at 9.30am, two hours before the torch convoy, which is now running late, was due to arrive. He said: “I’m really excited. I probably won’t see it again in my lifetime.” NK

9.53am Even though the torch is still somewhere on the M4, spirits are high here. One mum said it's just nice to be out in the sun. We're expecting a dance performance to be moved forward as a result of the delay. AW

9.51am Josh McEachran ‏@JMcEachran20 tweets: I start in Calne and i will travel along Wessington Avenue (A4) from Wessington Court and finish on A4 at Lakeview. That's my journey tweeps

9.49am Everything running late in Chippenham - convoy still on motorway! AW

9.47am Calne's primary schools are out in force outside the library, samba band are kicking off the entertainment. #Calne #OlympicTorch TM

9.45am Crowds now reaching their thousands in Calne. Bring suncream if you are heading out - it's a scorcher. TM

‏9.36am @stevenmorris20 tweets: Really lovely atmosphere in Chippenham for Olympic torch relay. No room for cynicism here today.

‏9.33am @theresahopwood tweets: Waiting for olympic torch in #Chippenham ..amazing atmosphere

9.29am: Stilt walker handing out stickers to children in Chippenham. Real sense of excitement with just 15 mins to go. Lots of school children have been given the morning off school to take part. Children from Monkton Park Primary School have made their own torches for the big day. AW

9.28am: Samsung tweet: Download the Hope Relay app today & Samsung will give £1 to charity for every mile you run! http://spr.ly/6018rZB8 #SamsungHopeRelay

9.26am: Chelsea and England U21 footballer Josh McEachran ‏tweets: Good morning! Off to Chippenham to carry the Olympic torch! We think he will actually be carrying the torch in Calne.

9.21am: The atmosphere is starting to build in Calne. People starting to make their way on to the streets. Runners today include local man Mark Leese and Christian Malford swimmer Issy Collings. TM

9.07am: Hundreds line the streets of Chippenham with - flags and horns being sold. Real party atmosphere. The mayor Andy Phillips says he is excited about the day. Jazz band about to start playing on the town hall steps. AW

8.58am: A good turnout already in Chippenham, the High Street being full of people. The sun is shining and there are lots of flags being waved. A high police presence but no VIPs expected in the town. AW

8.30am: MP Claire Perry tweets: The #Olympic torch comes to #Marlborough today and the sun is shining!

7.20am: @Thomas_Mooney tweets: Up early and off to #Calne to watch the atmosphere build ahead of the arrival of the #OlympicTorch. It's arriving at 10.46.