Paralympians light flame before Paris games

The Paralympic flame has been lit by two British athletes before its journey to the Paris games.

It was ignited by Helene Raynsford and Gregor Ewan in the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, in Stoke Mandeville, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday.

The torch will be passed in relays between 24 torch bearers in the UK on its journey to the French capital via the Channel Tunnel.

"I am so excited to be chosen for this extremely special occasion," Ewan said.

Helene Raynsford won Para-rowing gold at Beijing 2008

The Paralympic movement began from the village's hospital in 1948 after Dr Ludwig Guttmann helped to rehabilitate soldiers injured during the Second World War.

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons ran a short circuit of the athletics track following the ignition earlier.

Paralympians Helene Raynsford and Gregor Ewan marked the start of the torch's journey in Stoke Mandeville

The torch will be carried by 24 British bearers in the UK before it is handed over to 24 French Paralympians in Calais.

Organisers said once in France, each torch would then ignite another 12 torches to symbolise the number of days the games would last. The flames would then be spread across the country for about 1,200 forerunners to relay.

The relays will converge in Paris on 28 August, where the Paralympic cauldron will be lit at the Paralympic Games opening ceremony.

It was hoped using Stoke Mandeville would raise global awareness of the role it had played in the birth of the Paralympic movement via Sir Ludwig.

"Words cannot describe the honour of being chosen to light the Paralympic Flame alongside Gregor," said Raynsford, the first Paralympic rowing champion.

Ewan, a three-time Paralympian in wheelchair curling, added it was an "extremely special occasion".