Commonwealth Games: Baton bearer honour for celebrated war veteran

Albert Jarrett will be one of about 2,000 people in England to carry the Birmingham 2022 baton

A celebrated war veteran has been chosen as a baton bearer for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Albert Jarrett was born in Jamaica in 1924 and came over to the UK to join the RAF during World War Two.

Described as the "Jamaican community's Captain Tom Moore", he said he would be "so proud" to carry the baton.

He will be one of about 2,000 people across England chosen to carry the baton as it returns from the international stage of the relay.

It is touring 72 Commonwealth nations and territories before the opening of the Games in July and is currently in Barbados.

Mr Jarrett said he would be carrying the baton "on behalf of my country and the West Indies".

Mr Jarrett moved to the UK to join the RAF during WW2

"England is my country now because this is where I spent most of my life," he said.

"My message is for us to unite, that's what the Commonwealth Games are for."

After WW2, Mr Jarrett went on to become one of the directors of The Forgotten Generation, a charity set up to honour British African and Caribbean military personnel.

Now living in Birmingham he will be carrying the baton on 26 July, just two days before the opening of the Games.

Mr Jarrett meeting Prince William