MORE than 6,000 St Helens school pupils will be lining the route when the Olympic Torch passes through the borough next week.

Dozens of schools have been given the afternoon off on Friday, June 1 for what St Helens Council describes as the "chance to get close to the Olympic experience".

The build up to the relay has been accompanied by controversy, following the revelation that only two of the 11 torchbearers passing through St Helens are listed by organisers as being from the town.

Cheerleading coach Natalie Corrigan, 23, the principal and the founder of Jem Xtreme and Spotlight Dance Academy will carry the flame in her hometown along with Kelly Whalley, from Haresfinch.

Kelly, 34, who contracted meningitis as a child – leaving her deaf and confined to a wheelchair, will be pushed along the route by another torchbearer.

De La Salle pupil Claudia Dowdeswell, a 14-year-old rugby union player with Liverpool St Helens, will be tackling a leg of the route in Knowsley as the flame heads to the safari park.

Despite disappointment that other local champions are not taking part in St Helens, town hall leaders are keen to ensure as many people as possible enjoy the Olympic celebrations.

Among the highlights will be 200 pupils from Bleak Hill Primary proudly making their way to the route carrying their own torches that were made as part of a project.

They will be joined by youngsters from St Thomas of Canterbury Primary, De La Salle High, Cowley Language College, Carr Mill Primary, Haydock Sports College and many others to watch the torchbearers make their way through the borough.

Deputy Leader of the council, Barrie Grunewald, said: “It will be a day to remember for all those who see the torch go by.

“As inspirational experiences go, it doesn’t get any better than this.

"Hopefully many of those who line the route on June 1 will go on to pursue their own sporting goals and – who knows – claim their own place in a GB team of the future.”

Thousands of people are expected to line the route from the moment it enters the St Helens borough, near Windle Island, to its eventual exit on the Prescot border.

The last chance to see the torch being carried on foot, however, will be the area near Grange Park Golf Club on Prescot Road.

The entire route will be open to spectators, but the main viewing points will be along Greenfield Road, Dentons Green and Borough Road, St Helens for spectators approaching the town centre from the north and from the west.

Organisers say there should be plenty of room to get a good viewing position, but space is likely to be more limited nearer to the town centre.

Wherever possible, spectators will be positioned on the left hand side of the torchbearer to allow pedestrians to move freely on the other side of the road.

The torch begins its journey through the borough by foot at Rainford Road - at approximately 2.10pm - near St Helens Crematorium.

From there it heads along Rainford Road and then down Greenfield Road before a bearer changeover where the road meets Dentons Green Lane.

It then follows the main through route by turning right into Boundary Road and then left into Kirkland Street, past the Asda supermarket, before meeting the big roundabout at the bottom of Westfield Street.

From there it will travel up Westfield Street towards Borough Road and into Prescot Road.