Paralympic Torch Relay: Scottish Flame to be created by Scouts at the top of Ben Nevis

·         Mountaineer Kevin Shields, along with a group of Scouts, will climb mountain on foot

·         Flame will be created by scouts at the summit

·         Scottish Flame is one of four Flames being created across the UK

·         Images will be available here

At dawn on Wednesday 22 August, a group of Scouts and mountaineer, Kevin Shields, will climb Ben Nevis, United Kingdom’s highest peak, to create the Scottish National Flame as part of the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay.

At the mountain peak, they will use a ferrocerium rod and strike it against a rough steel surface to create the sparks that will create the Flame. The Flame will then be placed in a miner’s lantern and brought back down on foot. It will then be transferred to Edinburgh for a day of Paralympic celebration on Sunday 28 August.

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “The combination of teamwork and human endeavour being used to create the Scottish Flame is a very fitting start to the Paralympic Torch Relay celebrations. This group of inspirational individuals will be lighting the way to a fantastic ten days of sport.”

Sports Minister Shona Robison said: “I am very proud of the group of individuals that will help fire up the nation behind this special moment and stir our athletes to go for gold at the Paralympic Games. It is an inspiration to everyone that the flame will have a little piece of Scotland at its heart.”

The climb is expected to take in the region of four hours and will be led by local mountain guides. The four Scouts selected to take part in the Flame creation are Jason Ridgley, 18 years old, Joseph Tangnay, 16 years old, Christina Sheffield, 16 years old and Robyn Gunning, 15 years old. They were all chosen from communities local to Ben Nevis.

Joseph Tangnay said I am in awe of the Paralympic Games and can’t believe that I am going to be involved in this amazing adventure. To help create the Paralympic Flame is such a huge honour.”

The group will also include mountaineer Kevin Shields, from Fort William. Despite suffering from epilepsy and missing part of his left hand, Kevin is a passionate climber. He was the first disabled climber to enter the Ice World Cup and has successfully climbed some of the most challenging mountains in the United Kingdom.

Kevin Shields said “It is such an honour to be included in the Paralympic Flame creation. Ben Nevis is such a unique place of beauty and the perfect setting for this once in a lifetime moment”.

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Scotland and the United Kingdom at an altitude of 1,344 metres above sea level. It is the second highest peak in the United Kingdom and is located in Ben Nevis. Across the United Kingdom, three other National Flames are to be created on Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland), Snowdon (Wales) and Scafell Pike (England).

The four individual Flames will then be transferred to the nations’ capital cities where they will each become the focus for a day of Paralympic celebrations. The Scottish Flame will light a ceremonial cauldron at The Mound on the morning of Sunday 28 August. Followed by various community visits and a Flame festival that evening at The Meadowbank.

For information about media accreditation to the various moments in Edinburgh, please click here

From the Paralympic celebrations in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff, the four National Flames will be taken to Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Paralympic movement, where they will be united during a special ceremony on Tuesday 28 August to create the London 2012 Paralympic Flame.

At the end of the ceremony, the 24-hour overnight relay route will see the Paralympic Flame carried 92 miles by 580 inspirational Torchbearers, working in teams of five, from Stoke Mandeville to the Olympic Stadium to officially open the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

36 communities from across the UK have also taken the opportunity to host Flame Celebration’s over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

LOCOG is encouraging over 15,000 Local Leaders to help light the way to the Paralympic Games by getting people together to make lanterns and attend their local Flame Festivals, Flame Celebrations or hold their own Light a Lantern events.

For further information about the London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay, please visit http://www.london2012.com/paralympics/torch-relay/

The London 2012 Paralympic Torch Relay is presented by BT, Sainsbury’s and Bank of Scotland.

Suzi Williams, Director, BT Group Marketing and Brand, said: "At BT we understand the power of Paralympic sport to inspire people, that's why we're bringing teams together to run with the Paralympic Torch. It’s fantastic that this group of people have the opportunity to work together to start the Flame’s journey - this is their moment to be at the heart of a once in a lifetime experience."

Sally Hancock, Director, London 2012 Partnership at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We are looking forward to the National Flames being lit on Wednesday marking the beginning of the Paralympic Torch Relay. Bank of Scotland will be bringing the excitement of the Paralympic Games to Flame Festivals around the UK and communities along the 24 hour Paralympic Torch Relay route to London. We are immensely proud of our inspirational Torchbearers who will be running in teams of five celebrating their phenomenal achievements within the community. We are calling on everyone to come to the Flame Festivals to see their National Flame arrive in their capital and line the route to cheer on our Paralympic Torchbearers as they make their way to London in this unique relay."

Jat Sahota, Head of Sponsorship, Sainsbury’s commented: “As proud partners of the Paralympic Torch Relay and the Flame Festivals, we have already taken the Torch into Sainsbury’s stores right across the country. We now look forward to sharing this once in a lifetime experience with our Sainsbury’s customers, colleagues and Torchbearers as the National Flames begin their journey to the Olympic Stadium”