London 2012 Olympic games role Mirfield schoolboy Harry?

The 12-year-old Mirfield boy is being put forward as a possible torch-bearer for the Olympic flame as it passes through Yorkshire next year.

Mirfield councillor Martyn Bolt suggested the idea to Harry’s family as soon as the route for the flame was announced this week.

The 70-day, 8,000 mile torch route starts at Land’s End on May 19 and will finish in London on July 27. Leeds is the nearest place on the route to Kirklees, though organisers say more places to be visited will be named soon.

Coun Bolt said: “My first thought was to get out of the traps and get support for a local lad who will be a great ambassador for Mirfield and ideal for the task.”

Dewsbury and Mirfield MP Simon Reevell has already written to Lord Sebastian Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, to suggest the flame travels through this constituency as it goes from Manchester to Leeds on June 24.

Harry, who is already an official Mirfield ambassador, suffers from a rare condition which means his body is ageing five times faster than it should.

The Castle Hall School pupil got one public duty under his belt last year when he performed the Christmas lights switch-on in place of Mirfield-born star Sir Patrick Stewart.

People have been given 42 days to submit nominees for torch-bearers and there will be 8,000 throughout the country.

Coun Bolt said: “We need to get a local nominee in very quickly so we can build up support. Harry could be the Kirklees representative. He is an ideal candidate.”

Coun Bolt hopes to enlist backing from people like Sir Patrick, the fellow ambassador who last November asked Harry to perform the lights switch-on. The Star Trek veteran had been asked to do the job but had theatre commitments.

Harry’s mum, Sharron, said: “I am thrilled they should even think of Harry for this. It would be such an honour. He would do a brilliant job.”

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