22 May 2012

Olympic flame dies on relay

2:07 pm on 22 May 2012

The Olympic flame went out overnight on its relay around round Britain because of a "malfunctioning burner".

The torch was attached to 23-year-old David Follett's wheelchair when it went out on its way from Exeter to Taunton in southwest England on the third day of the 70-day relay.

The torch design had been tested at BMW's climatic centre in Munich to ensure it could stay alight in all weather conditions.

But the London organising committee said in a statement it's not uncommon for a flame to go out, and it can happen for a number of reasons.

Organisers carried a "mother flame" in a vehicle behind the torchbearer and relit the torch in "a matter of a few minutes".