Doreen Lawrence, the mother of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence, will be one of the torchbearers carrying the Olympic Flame on its last days before the start of the 2012 Games.

Mrs Lawrence, 59, will carry the flame on July 23 as the torch relay winds its way through London ahead of the opening ceremony on July 27.

She will carry the flame into the forecourt of the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford, south east London, set up in memory of her son as base for community learning and development.

doreen lawrence

Doreen Lawrence will be one of the torchbearers carrying the Olympic Flame


Both Mrs Lawrence and her ex-husband Neville had campaigned tirelessly to see some of the men who killed their son jailed.

In January Gary Dobson, 36, and David Norris, 35, were the first people convicted over the fatal attack by a group of white youths near a bus stop in Eltham, in south-east London, on April 22, 1993.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnson, who was the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world, will carry the Flame for a lap around the restored Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich, south east London, on July 21.

Double Olympic rowing gold medallist James Cracknell will start the torch relay in Kingston on July 23, while two-time Olympic decathlon champion Daley Thompson will be the day's last torchbearer on July 24.

He will light the celebration cauldron at the evening celebration event in Haringey, north London.

Earlier that day, the flame will also have crossed the line at the site where the 1908 Olympic Stadium once stood at BBC White City.

It will also have made a trip to Downing Street where a "special welcome" is promised, London 2012 organisers said.

The final days of the relay will involve 982 torchbearers throughout the capital over seven days.

There will be 18 torchbearers on final day and seven of them will travel down the River Thames on Gloriana, The Queen's Rowbarge.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe said said: "Thank you to everyone who has cheered on the torchbearers right around the UK and helped to build the excitement towards the start of the Games.

"With 11 days to go until the Olympic Flame lights the cauldron at the opening ceremony it is great to see London ready to welcome the flame and set to celebrate inspiring people and amazing places in each and every borough."

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