Carrying the torch - route and runners announced for the Olympic torch relay through Warwick district

The flame will arrive in Warwick and be taken through Leamington and Kenilworth on Sunday July 1 with 26 runners taking turns to carry the torch at the front of the Olympic Convoy.

Peter Frazier, 61, of Heathcote Park and 64-year-old Graham Fulford who lives in Mill Street, Warwick, were among the 8,000 successful nominees who were picked from a list of 60,000 people as part of Lloyds TSB’s nationwide search.

Mr Fulford was nominated by his son for the tireless work he has done to raise money and awareness to fight prostate cancer.

He set up the Graham Fulford Charitable Trust after his friend Jim and father-in-law Peter died of the disease and the organisation has helped to detect almost 500 cancer cases up and down the UK.

The chartered accountant, who was born in Warwick, will carry the torch through his hometown.

He said: “It is a massive honour.

“What was really moving for me was that I found out I had been picked on the day that would’ve been my mother’s birthday so it was really special.

“It’ll be a fantastic day.”

Mr Frazier, a procurement officer for Aston University who had a kidney transplant in 1978, has represented Great Britain in the World Transplant Games six times, winning gold and silver medals in Athens in 1982 and also as a veteran competitor in Sydney in 1997.

The middle-distance runner, who was the first person to run a marathon after a kidney transplant, will be carrying the torch through Leamington from about 5pm.

He said: “I’m really happy about it, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

“I was born in 1950, two years after the last games were in Great Britain, and I don’t think I’ll see another games here so saying you’ve been part of it and saying you’ve held the Olympic Torch for a few minutes is such an enormous thing.

“I’ll be part of history and it’ll be something I can tell my grandchildren.”

Warwick District Council’s officers have been working with sports clubs and organisations to organise family fun activity events at St Nicholas Park, The Pump Room Gardens, and Abbey Fields.

These events will include sporting and cultural activities as well as entertainment and demonstrations.

They will finish about an hour before the Torch Relay arrives in each town to allow spectators to find themselves a suitable viewing spot.

Cllr Sue Gallagher, the district councillor who is responsible for policy on cultural services, said: “I’m amazed by how excited I am now. When I first heard about the Olympics I thought ‘that is nice’ but now it is almost here it seems as if everybody can’t wait to see the torch.

“We’re very lucky it’s happening on a Sunday. Children will be off school and the event will be brilliant for the district.”