A special torch relay celebrating this summer’s Olympic sailing events is coming to Sidmouth.

The torch will arrive in the town as part of its journey from Torquay, where Olympic sailing was held in the 1948 games, to Weymouth in time for this summer’s sailing events.

Setting off last week it will arrive in Sidmouth on Saturday, June 9, where the sailing club will be holding a party with the Town Band.

Oliver Salter, the club’s president, said the torch is only stopping for one night in the town, but they are having a big event to celebrate it.

The following day Sidmouth Sailing Club members, together with the in-shore lifeboat, will sail the torch to Beer, in a relay formation.

Having delivered it they will hold a long-distance sailing race home.

It will stay several days in Beer, who are putting on numerous events in celebration, before it carries on its journey along to Weymouth in July.

The torch itself has been modelled on the one used in Torquay in 1948, a torchbearer ran through Torre Abbey, welcoming athletes from 25 nations who were about to compete in the 1948 Olympic Sailing event.

And 64 years-later, organised by the Royal Yachting Association, it will be visiting 16 sailing clubs along the South Coast, including Topsham, Lympstone and Exmouth before it gets to Sidmouth.