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Powys got its first taste of Olympic fever when Machynlleth was lit up by the Olympic Torch Relay as it made its way through the town.

Thousands of residents and schoolchildren packed the streets, waved flags and cheered noisily as they waited to catch a once in a lifetime glimpse of the historic Olympic Flame as it passed through the county for the first time.

The first Torchbearer was Pavlo Makogonchuk, a surgeon from Ukraine, who received plenty of cheers from the lively crowd as he ran his 300m stint along Heol Pentrerhedyn. The Flame was then transferred to Theresa Colley from Gloucestershire who has raised money for disabled children, who completed her section at the clock tower.

The final leg of the Relay was run by local resident Stephen Doyle, who has raised vast amounts for the Royal British Legion and also been active in promoting sport and the arts around Machynlleth. He received lots of support as he jogged and danced his way along Heol Pen’rallt and Heol y Doll before the convoy headed towards Bangor.

With entertainment provided by the three sponsor vehicles from Coca Cola Lloyds TSB and Samsung, the streets awash with colour and the sun beaming down, it was certainly a day that all in attendance would never forget.

The afternoon saw some of the schools who attended the Relay enjoy a number of their own Olympic Festival at Bro Ddyfi Leisure Centre. After an opening ceremony, the pupils representing a number of counties participated in a range of sports including athletics, gymnastics and the Paralympic sport of boccia.

Wednesday (30 May) will see the Relay enter the county again when it comes through Llanymynech at around 10.30am before travelling through the streets of Welshpool just before 11.00am. Maps and further information about these stages can be found at www.powys.gov.uk/olympics.