THE excitement is tangible as the Olympics get nearer.

As the countdown gathers pace, one of the great things about the process is the way people all over the country are going to become involved.

Only a small fraction of the population will have the opportunity to get to London but thousands across East Lancashire will be able to get close to that symbol of sporting success – the Olympic flame.

As part of its 70-day tour of the country leading up to the Olympics opening ceremony on July 27, the flame will be run across East Lancashire from Preston on June 23, passing through Blackburn, Oswaldtwistle, Accrington, Burnley and Rossendale.

The Torch Relay, which involves 8,000 torchbearers nationwide, will make a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime pageant for young and old alike.

Each torchbearer has been carefully selected because of his or her own background and one will be Madison Allan’s uncle, Simon Foster, from Darwen.

Madison, seven, had hoped to take part herself but tragically lost her battle against cancer on Boxing Day.

Simon is running in her memory – just one of 8,000 examples of how close to the people these Olympics will be.