Olympic champion Chris Boardman MBE carried the flame for cycling on Friday as the Olympic Torch Relay made its way to Merseyside and Wirral.

Friday 1 June saw the torch relay pass through the north west of England where 1992 individual pursuit Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman carried the torch through Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula. Boardman, who was born and still lives in Hoylake on the Wirral, said: “It's a real honour to be asked to carry the Olympic torch and it makes you realise how big the Olympic Games is."

Boardman was joined on the Wirral leg of the torch relay by former Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm and Iraq war veteran Craig Lundberg, the latter carrying the torch across the River Mersey from Liverpool on the famous ferry.

Cycling’s involvement in the relay will continue later in the June when multiple Olympic Champion Sir Chris Hoy, British Cycling President Brian Cookson and British Cycling Hall of Famer Eileen Gray play their part in the epic 70 day London 2012 Torch Relay.

For full details of the torch relay route and the 8000 torchbearers visit http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/