Thousands Turn Out to Welcome Piece of Paralympic Flame

Visitors turned up in their thousands to welcome a piece of the Paralympic Flame to Horsham on Saturday 25th August.

A Paralympic Flame Celebration event, led by Horsham District Council on behalf of the Ahead of the Game partnership, was held in Horsham Park in Horsham on Saturday.

Local table tennis star Tyler Paul was chosen as the West Sussex Flame Ambassador and travelled to London on Friday 24th August to collect the West Sussex piece of the Paralympic Flame to bring back to Horsham for the event.

"I am immensely proud of what was achieved on Saturday at the Paralympic Flame Celebration event in Horsham Park. With Horsham District Council working in partnership with Ahead of the Game, a great day was put on in Horsham to welcome the piece of the Flame for this historic event. The public, who were there in their thousands, gave very warm and spontaneous support to the entire occasion.

Cllr Leonard Crosbie

Crowds of people turned out to have a go at the sports on offer in Horsham Park as well as listen to the many live bands that performed.

Tyler and Michael Hobbs, a local disabled athlete and volunteer, carried the Paralympic Lantern through the crowds as part of a parade before it was officially welcomed to Horsham by the Chairman of Horsham District Council, Cllr Leonard Crosbie, and West Sussex County Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Lionel Barnard.

It's a privilege to have a piece of the Paralympic Flame here. Tyler Paul has been a splendid Flame Ambassador for West Sussex, bringing our Lantern and Flame from the Festival in Trafalgar Square. The crowds who turned out to welcome the Flame and to enjoy the celebration of local sports and arts in Horsham Park made for a fantastic day and a wonderful curtain raiser for the Paralympic Games this week.

Cllr Lionel Barnard