Thousands descend on Camden for Olympic torch relay
Thousands of people descended on Camden this morning (Thursday, July 26) as the Olympic flame swept through the borough on the torch relay’s penultimate day.
Rugby World Cup winning coach and Team GB’s deputy chef de mission Sir Clive Woodward was on hand to light the torch outside the Roundhouse as crowds flooded to Chalk Farm Road to watch the procession.
Families lined the streets – sometimes five people deep – to catch a glimpse of the torch as it meandered through Chalk Farm to Camden Lock.
Some in the crowd climbed fences while others perched on balconies to get a better view of the torch.
Damian Chalmers, from Belsize Park, was up at the crack of dawn to grab a good vantage point.
“It’s just so nice to see people coming together and the Olympics has managed to get everyone out on the streets,” said Mr Chalmers, who has tickets to the football, hockey and handball.
“It makes you realise how diverse the community is and it’s great to see people celebrating London.”
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Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson, who was just a small boy at the last London Olympics in 1948, said: “I don’t normally get up at 5am, but it has been a good do.
“I remember the last one in London which wasn’t as ornate at this, but it was about people coming in from all over the world to celebrate the end of the war to have a peaceful competition, which is I think why it is still so important today.”
