Celebrations as Queen’s Baton Relay passes through South Shields ahead of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

The relay, part of the build up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, began early this morning as children from Marsden Primary School cheered on the first batonbearer of the day at Souter Lighthouse.

Crowds gathered at the landmark in Marsden as pupils cheered and Souter’s Foghorn sounded to mark the occasion.

The baton then headed north by convoy along The Leas to the New Crown Roundabout before being carried on foot along Sea Road in South Shields to Harbour Drive North at Littlehaven.

The Baton is travelling for a total 294 days and will visit all nations and territories of the Commonwealth.

Nine Batonbearers were chosen to carry the baton as it made its journey through South Tyneside before continuing on around the country.

Among those chosen were South Tyneside community heroes Angie Comerford, from Hebburn Helps, and Cancer Research fundraiser Ann Walsh.

Ahead of the relay, Angie said: “I feel like the luckiest person on the planet right now and I’m so very grateful. My little boy said he’s so proud of me."

It was the first of two relays in two days for Ann. The fundraising Relay for Life, which has been under her stewardship for 14 years, takes place on Saturday, returning for the first time since covid hit.

On carrying the baton in the Queen’s Baton Relay, she said: “I’m very proud to be able to carry it – what an honour to be picked out of all those people.”

Angela Conway, from Blyth, was also among Batonbearers on the relay in South Tyneside.

She said: “It’s been absolutely fab, absolutely wonderful. My family came along and my little nephews were able to take a few hours off school to come and see me so they were waving and waving their flags.

"I work for PWC and they nominated me but I was nominated for the work I do with the brain tumour charity. I was diagnosed with a brain tumour myself when I was 21-years-old and since then I have done a lot of fundraising and raising awareness for the signs and symptoms of brain tumours. It’s been a big day today.”

Scott Wilson-Laing, founder and managing director of WL Distillery in Hetton, Wearside, was nominated as a Batonbearer for his work during the pandemic when his company swapped their production of gin to hand sanitisers.

He said: “It was really good fun, a little nervous to start off with because it was making sure I was holding it here and standing in the right position but it was great. It was nice to be able to take part in it and walk through a lovely part of South Shields.

"It’s absolutely great for the North East community, it’s great to see people coming out in their home towns to see something that has been passed around the whole world.”