THOUSANDS of people are expected to flock to The Common in Saffron Walden for a live televised broadcast by Blue Peter in celebration of the arrival of the Olympic Torch.

ESSEX are closing in on Leicestershire’s first innings score after a strong showing at Grace Road in the LV=CC – although late wickets have tarnished a promising performance.

ESSEX have put in another superb morning session on day two against Leicestershire in the LV=CC.

THREE police officers with connections to Cambridgeshire will be part of the security team ensuring the Olympic Torch has a safe passage across the UK.

LEICESTERSHIRE look well in control against Essex in their LV=CC encounter at the end of the first day of play.

Youth football round up

DUNMOW Scorpions are deserving cup winners after an entertaining final played at Witham Town FC.

GRANGE Farm and Dunmow Runners’ Rachel Adams was first in the senior female category at the Halstead Marathon on Sunday, in a time of 3h 32min 56s.

SAFFRON Walden Golf Club scratch team started their CAGU Division 1 scratch league campaign with a great victory away from home over Gog Magog, 4-2.

A HUGE community event takes place in Saffron Walden this weekend to mark the start of the build up to the Olympic Games.

CENTURIES from skipper Glen Batticciotto and Simon Parmenter eased Walden past Cambridge Granta in their first game back after a three week break.

ALEX Lynn mastered the tricky French streets of Pau to claim his best finish in the British F3 this season.

TWO members of Dunmow Triathlon Club got their season off to a great start by completing the Ringwood triathlon in Hampshire.

WITH the Olympic Games less than 100 days away, the Essex Summer of Art will join cultural organisations, artists and creative producers across the east to present inspiring Olympic-themed artworks from some of the county’s most talented artists.

THE Saffron Striders have been back in action following the club’s record-breaking exploits at the London Marathon.

A TEAM of students from Linton Village College (LVC) just missed out on a trip to Lord’s when they were narrowly beaten in the regional final of a national cricket tournament.

SAFFRON Walden RFC U15 marked the end of the 2011/2012 season with a weekend tour to Europe.

MISERABLE weather brought all cricketing fixtures to a grinding halt this weekend.

THE Great British women’s hockey team’s preparation for London 2012 got off to a great start with a 1-0 win over South Korea.

GRANGE Farm and Dunmow Runners held the club’s annual awards dinner and dance at the Barn Theatre, Little Easton, on Saturday.