Dean Parsons (Haydon) to carry the Olympic Flame
Dean Parsons, better known as Haydon the Womble, will be a torchbearer in south London on Monday 23 July.
He’ll be carrying the Olympic Flame for up to half a mile through part of the Sutton section of the route, along Croydon Road (A232) in Beddington. His estimated start time is 2.03pm.
If you can’t be there to cheer him on, you can watch live coverage of the torch relay on the BBC website or on the BBC Red Button.
Dean was hoping that Haydon the Womble would be able to carry the torch, as his charity work as Haydon is the reason he was nominated and selected. But it looks as if only human torchbearers will be allowed. Dean said on Haydon’s blog:
“He may have to turn in to human form, but will change straight back in to Womble mode as soon as he has finished carrying the torch, for publicity purposes and to promote the club I am so proud to be mascot for, AFC Wimbledon.”
I have been given a conditional offer to be a @london2012 #olympictorchbearer i am so proud i am actually crying #london2012 #onestepcloser
— Haydon the Womble (@HaydontheWomble) December 8, 2011
Finally I can announce that I have been chosen to be a #london2012 #torchbearer on july 23rd #soproud
— Haydon the Womble (@HaydontheWomble) March 19, 2012
There are 23 torchbearers on the Sutton route (which works out at around four minutes each), running west from Beddington through Carshalton to Sutton and then north towards Morden.
In total, 8,000 inspirational torchbearers have been selected to carry the Olympic Flame around the UK on a 70-day relay, before it arrives at the Olympic Opening Ceremony on 27 July.
Every torchbearer wears a white and gold uniform designed by adidas. The white top has gold shards at the shoulder and neckline, which run down the arm to the hand holding the Torch.
Find out more about the Olympic Torch Relay on the London 2012 website.
