Lymington embraces Olympic spirit in the rain (From Daily Echo)

Lymington embraces Olympic spirit in the rain

1:55pm Saturday 14th July 2012 in New Forest

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THE rain came down, but it was the cheers going up from thousands of people that filled the air as Lymington embraced the Olympic spirit.

A torrential downpour began just minutes before student 17-year-old student Charlie Chase-Mears started the relay leg through his home town, lapping up the warm applause and high-fiving friends watching on at the roadside.

The horrendous weather certainly wasn’t putting off the youngest torchbearer of the leg, 12-year-old Eden Crumplin, who danced her way down the street for much of her stint proudly carrying the torch.

As the Olympic flame made its way further into the town, the crowds of brave souls – mostly decked from head to toe in wet-weather gear – grew ever larger.

Scores of soggy flags were waved through the umbrellas as the constant whoops of encouragement helped the runners ignore the ever-growing puddles underfoot and enjoy their moment in the spotlight.

As the relay made its way through High Street, every conceivable vantage point was taken as thousands of people had crammed alongside the road to watch as Daily Echo angling correspondent Chris Clark proudly took over carrying duties.

As well as those lining the streets were many more who sat on walls or craned their necks from windows above shops, restaurants and homes as the procession wound its way back out of the town centre and to the ferry terminal to be whisked across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.