A TEACHER and pupil at one York secondary school are among those who have been chosen from York to carry the Olympic torch on its journey through York, North and East Yorkshire next week.

Richard Mann, 32, head of music and director of performing arts at All Saints RC School in York and All Saint’s pupil Jess Hoggarth-Hall will both be carrying the torch when it arrives in our region.

Mr Mann, from South Bank, was chosen for his charitable work including a Land’s End to John O’Groats charity bike ride in memory of 13-year-old John Jallorina, a pupil at his school who died from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2008.

Mr Mann has also completed ultra marathons, The Hell On The Humber 12-hour Endurance Race and 60-mile fell races.

He said: “It’s a huge honour to be chosen to carry the torch. I was nominated by my wife’s best friend, Susie Boylan, and was really touched just to be nominated, never dreaming I’d actually be picked, but then when the letter arrived saying I’d been chosen, I couldn’t believe it.

“My wife Andrea, my son George, two, and three-month-old daughter Annabelle, will be there on the day with family and colleagues cheering me on. I don’t think the 300 metres will be a problem seeing as I run ultra marathons, but I’ll just have to make sure I don’t trip or drop it.”

Mr Mann said he had no plans to sell his torch after the event and would be bringing it into school to show pupils and putting it to use on sports day. He will be carrying the torch through Hull on Monday.

Jess is described in her nomination form as “a typical 13-year-old who works hard at school and has overcome her dyslexia through regular participation in drama activities”. She was chosen to carry the torch by City of York Council, because her birthday coincides with the torch coming to the city. She will be carrying the torch through York next Wednesday, between High Petergate and the Theatre Royal on her 14th birthday and said she was “absolutely thrilled”.