Live blog: Day two of the Olympic Torch Relay - Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Congleton
9.50am That's it for the torch relay in Congleton and our live blog for today. Thanks for following and be sure to check out all the galleries, videos and stories on the site.
To see videos of Tony Pulis taking the flame through Stoke-on-Trent and speaking of his pride at doing so follow this link:
• Tony Pulis's Olympic Torch pride
To read about Olympic Torch bearer and gold medalist Imran Sherwani's reaction to carrying the flame and how inspirational Ainsley Cooper overcame his fear of crowds, fire, and loud noises to lift the torch follow the links below.
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• 'So proud': Stoke-on-Trent gold medallist Imran Sherwani on his Olympic Torch honour
• Inspirational Ainsley Cooper grabs his moment to shine
9.00am The torch is now making its way through Congleton. It's raining but that's not stopped people gathering on the streets.
On twitter @Damonoakes07 writes: "Trust it to rain on the day the #olympictorch comes through Congleton #typical."
8.30am The torch is moving through Crewe where big crowds have turned out to great it.
On twitter Cheshire Police write: "Happy crowds in Crewe for the #Olympic Torch.
Next stop Congleton.
On twitter The_Sheriff writes: "Great to see so many people out to see the Torch in Congleton #olympictorch
7.35am: The torch is in Middleport and will soon be heading off to Crewe, where it is due to arrive at 8.03am.
7.15am: The torch is now heading to Burslem where crowds continue to cheer on the flame. Meanwhile, back in Hanley an obliging and smiling Stoke City manager Tony Pulis is treating fans to photographs and signatures.
Throughout the morning, we’ll be updating the torch’s progress on this live blog, so don't forget to send your pictures to paul.johnson@northcliffedigital.co.uk, upload them straight to www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk or tweet us on @thisisstaffs.
7.08am: Tony Pulis tells us he hugely enjoyed the run. More from that interview coming up.
7am: Stoke City manager Tony Pulis has the torch!
6.54am: Its raining here in Hanley, but only slightly and it isn't dampening spirits. The crowd is being treated to music from a choir of school children, there's a Saxon warrior ready to lead the torch out and the first torch bearer is no other than Stoke City's manager Tony Pulis!
6.52am: The torch convoy has begun passing the Potteries Shopping Centre.
6.45am: The Olympic Torch Relay is set to leave Stoke-on-Trent after its overnight stay in the city. A big crowd has woken up early and gathered outside the Potteries Museum in Hanley waiting for the flame to start a route that will take it through Burslem, Cobridge and Middleport. Music is playing, the excitement is building and you wouldn't guess it was so early in the morning!
5am: Thousands turned out to welcome the Olympic Torch to Staffordshire yesterday.
If you missed the relay, there's another chance to watch this morning as the flame is carried through Stoke-on-Trent before it heads out to Crewe and Congleton.
Thursday, June 31 schedule:
7.01am Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
7.15am Cobridge
7.33am Burslem
7.36am Middleport
8.03am Crewe
8.55am Congleton
• GALLERY: Olympic torch relay in Gnosall
• GALLERY: Olympic torch relay in Stafford
• GALLERY: Staffordshire Olympic Torch picture gallery
Comments
by cjh6251
Sunday, June 03 2012, 8:36AM
“Here's my video of the Congleton leg of the Olympic torch relay:
http://tinyurl.com/6lppesn”
by DoctorDo
Friday, June 01 2012, 7:28PM
“Not wishing to split hairs here, but Mr. Pulis wasn't convicted of dangerous driving, he was convicted of speeding. Obviously speeding can be dangerous, but it is a separate offence.”
by 24Alan
Friday, June 01 2012, 3:27PM
“Yes Tony is the odd man out on this occasion; he is not a Stoke man.”
by rwstoke
Thursday, May 31 2012, 11:31PM
“Pleased to see the Viking has been changed to Saxon. Thanks for reading the comments Mr Hogg/ The Sentinel!!! All in all a great couple of days for our city.”
by Anon_mow_cop
Thursday, May 31 2012, 11:09PM
“Got stuck in the traffic queue in Congleton this morning because of this load of tripe, not enough I am having to pay for this olympic nonsense through my taxes.”
by Focus386
Thursday, May 31 2012, 11:35AM
“Putting Stoe on Trent on the world map, oh my god i nearly choked on my coffee..Are you delusional or blinded by your love of football. He is a manager of a football club in England, not Scotland, Ireland or Wales...Do the Americans or say the people in South Korea know where Stoke on Trent is because of a football club??? NO NO NO...But ask them about such things as Wedgwood and Doulton and Spode and yes we are known throughout the world..Yes he may have rasied some money for charity, i will not say otherwise, but to think we are known worldwide because of a football club manager is laughable..”
by lordyj
Thursday, May 31 2012, 9:38AM
“What mean minded people who can think of no comments better than to **** off Tony Pulis. He's done more to put Stoke on Trent on the world map by his achievements with SCFC than most people can lay claim to. How about a bit of the Olympic Spirit instead of your persistent griping.”
by bighoppo
Thursday, May 31 2012, 9:32AM
“Focus- You should know that Tony pullis is in the middle of a fund raising event raising thousands for the Donna Louise Trust, not for the first time I may add, There was the London marathon and other fund raisers all in for the trust. He has raised hundreds of thousands for that trust for the people of Stoke on Trent.so befor you start getting on the moral high ground then you need to think abit first. cant remenber any one from another local club doing any thing in the way of fund raising , Instead they cost the council tax payer over a Million.”
by Notanumber
Thursday, May 31 2012, 8:22AM
“Sick of hearing about the Olympics already with all the wasted coverage on how the building progress is (was) going. Now we have this. It's a flame on a stick for crying out loud!
This debacle has cost the whole country hundreds of millions for the benefit of London. Past hosts will tell you, the money spent is never recouped.”
by Focus386
Thursday, May 31 2012, 8:20AM
“Further to my last not only is he not the right person to represent the city, but now the photographs are out, he is there posing with leader of the council. The carrying of the torch is meant to be seen as an honour not a chance to make cheap political points. he also seems to have bourn the torch an awful lot longer than anyone else does.
Thanks Stoke you have turned a national event into a cheap policitcal point scoring”