Darwen actor's drummer role in Olympics opening ceremony (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen actor's drummer role in Olympics opening ceremony

7:38pm Sunday 29th July 2012 in Sport By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

AN ACTOR from East Lancashire who took part in the spectacular opening ceremony for the Olympics has described it as an 'amazing moment'.

Fourty-five-year-old Peter Walsh, who is from Darwen, was one of the 1,000 ‘Pandemonium’ drummers performing as the scene switched from Britain’s green and pleasant land to the Industrial Revolution.

After his moment of fame, Mr Walsh then became a marshal for the Athletes parade, ensuring that the stars of the games kept to the areas they were supposed to be in.

He said: “It was an amazing moment, it was incredible to have been involved in something so big. Not many people can say they have performed in front of an audience of 60,000 people, the Queen and a TV audience of billions.

“I signed up to be kept informed about volunteer roles shortly after we got the games, and then had to audition for a role in the opening ceremony.

“I met Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry during rehearsals, they were heavily involved it and did a fantastic job.”

Mr Walsh was born and raised in Darwen, and attended Ashleigh Primary School and Darwen Vale before moving to London in 1990.

His family still live in Rudyard Drive in the town.

There were other East Lancashire connections during the ceremony, with the fallen from the wars represented by the pictures of the Accrington Pals on the big screen.

And the evening began when Chorley-based cyclist Bradley Wiggins, fresh for his Tour de France triumph, rang the bell to mark the start of the ceremony.