THE Olympic spirit is burning brightly at Haydock Sports College.

The secondary school created a major community project surrounding London 2012 that united more than 2,000 young people.

A successful grant bid to the London 2012 Get Set Network – and further funding from Helena Housing and Riverside – was the springboard for getting it up and running.

Haydock worked with a selection of local primary schools to spread the message about the Games.

The college’s own torch relay – linking all seven primary schools – heralded the start of the Olympic week, with the opening ceremony, local guests and the lighting of an ‘Olympic Flame’.

VIP guests, including the Mayor of St Helens Councillor Geoff Almond and the High Sheriff of Merseyside Colonel Martin Amlôt, were at Haydock Sports College to witness the event.

The flame was lit by Haydock student and Chair of the Haydock Olympic Chair Committee Josh Downey.

He said: “Over the past few months we’ve have been visiting, Allanson St, Ashurst, Broad Oak, Grange Valley, Haydock English Martyrs, Legh Vale and St James’s Primary Schools to inspire the pupils there with a range of sporting and cultural events including gymnastics, rowing, basketball, and archery.

“There’s also been an extensive cultural programme - including support materials on the Olympic and Paralympic values – culminating in a 3D sculpture at each school and even a world record attempt to get all the primary children dancing an Olympic routine at the same time!”

The college received a grant of £8,800 from LOCOG to organise the event – much of it faithfully recorded by the student media team as part of the project.

A student-run Olympic-themed blog was also created to keep the local community up to date.