“HELP my son carry the Olympic torch.”
That’s the message from Mirfield woman Sharron Crowther, mother of Harry.
She wants her son – who suffers from an extremely rare bone condition – to have the honour of carrying the Olympic flame through the town.
Organisers yesterday announced the route the torch will take around the UK in the run-up to the London games next summer.
And Olympic chiefs are looking for 8,000 inspirational people to help carry the flame around the country. It wants half to be people aged between 12 and 24 and the rest to include people with a story of achievement or contribution to the local community.
Sharron yesterday urged Huddersfield people to nominate Harry for the role.
The 12-year-old suffers from a genetic form of Atypical Progeria Syndrome which makes his body age five times faster than normal.
Harry has arthritis in his fingers, toes, knees, elbows and wrists and has to take strong painkillers four times a day.
Sharron said: “Harry would be really interested in carrying the Olympic torch – he would find it an amazing experience.”
The final route of the torch has yet to be announced, but the flame is likely to pass near Mirfield next June 24 when it is carried from Manchester to Leeds.
Sharron said: “It would be great if Harry could carry the torch through Mirfield.”
The Castle Hall School pupil is keen on sport, despite his condition.
Sharron said: “He loves sport, but obviously, because of his condition, he struggles with contact sport.
“He likes watching the running and the swimming on TV and he also likes to play Olympics on the Wii.”
Organisers of the London 2012 Olympics yesterday unveiled the 70-day route of the flame around the country. The torch will pass within an hour’s travel time of 95% of the UK population.
The flame will be carried for 12 hours every day before featuring in a celebration event each evening.
There will not be an international torch relay. In 2008 human rights protestors disrupted the flame’s progress around the world on its way to Beijing.
