Olympic torch: James McAvoy runs relay leg as flame reaches Glasgow

Scotland has welcomed the Olympic flame for the first time as the torch relay travelled from <link> <caption>Stranraer to Glasgow</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchrelay/day21" platform="highweb"/> </link> .

Hollywood actor James McAvoy ran a leg in his native Glasgow, where Winter Olympics gold medallist, curler Rhona Martin, also carried the flame.

The flame also visited the birthplace of poet Robert Burns and Hampden Park, home of the Scotland football team.

Soldier <link> <caption>Ross McClelland</caption> <url href="http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/torchbearers=ross-mcclelland-3875/index.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> was cheered by thousands as he began day 21 of the Olympic torch relay in Stranraer.

Friday's 138-mile route took in Cairnryan, Ballantrae, Girvan, Turnberry, Maidens, Kirkoswald, Maybole, Alloway, Ayr, Kilmarnock, Kilmaurs, Stewarton, Dunlop, Barrmill, Beith, Lochwinnoch, Kilmalcolm, Port Glasgow, Rutherglen and Giffnock before reaching Glasgow.

'Amazing'

The day started at Stranraer's Castle Square at 06:00 BST where, despite the early hour a sizeable crowd had turned out to see the Scottish tour begin.

Mr McClelland, who returned from a seven-month tour of duty in Afghanistan last year, said: "It was amazing. There was a lot more people than I was expecting because it's so early in the morning.

"As soon as I got off the bus, they all started cheering really loudly, and I started feeling nervous. I loved it."

Mid-morning, <link> <caption>Kirsty Kane</caption> <url href="http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/torchbearers=kirsty-kane-5948/index.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> carried the flame to the <link> <caption>Robert Burns Birthplace museum</caption> <url href="http://www.burnsmuseum.org.uk/" platform="highweb"/> </link> in Alloway.

The 17-year-old is learning to live without a wheelchair despite suffering from cerebral palsy for most of her life.

In front of the museum she passed the flame to Olympian Suzanne Otterson, 38, from Ayr, who represented Great Britain in the figure skating at the Albertville Winter Olympics in 1992.

Later, Isle of Skye trials cyclist Daniel MacAskill pulled a wheelie as he carried the flame in front of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum before pedalling off down the road for another show of tricks.

The relay was given an enthusiastic welcome in Glasgow even before Martin and McAvoy took their turns with the flame.

<link> <caption>Ross Morrison</caption> <url href="http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/torchbearers=ross-morrison-5332/index.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> was the last torchbearer of the day and he was given the honour of lighting the cauldron on stage to signal the start of an evening celebration in George Square.

The 18-year-old, who was nominated because he is a carer for his parents and runs an after-school basketball club, described the experience as "absolutely amazing".

With the cauldron lit, the evening festivities, featuring performances by Eliza Doolittle, Emeli Sande and General Fiasco, began.

A total of 8,000 people will carry the Olympic flame during its 8,000 mile, 70-day journey to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London on 27 July.