A BROTHER and sister torchbearing duo from Dorchester have spoken of their joy at having their moment in the spotlight.

St Osmund’s School pupil Ben Macklin, 12, and his sister Annie, 16, who goes to Thomas Hardye School, were cheered on by hundreds of flag-waving spectators as they carried the Olympic flame through the county town.

Annie, a budding marine biologist, took the torch up London Road and High East Street before handing over the torch to her younger brother, sharing a kiss as they did so.

Ben’s stint then took him up Bridport Road and on towards Poundbury.

Despite the wet weather Annie and Ben, a keen sportsman who hopes to one day represent Great Britain at the Olympics in archery, enjoyed every second of it.

Annie, a marine warden for the Dorset Wildlife Trust said: “It was really good, the support just built up as I went up the hill and me and Ben were very lucky to do basically the whole length of the high street.

“Handing over to him was a surreal moment.

“It made it less nerve wracking running towards him rather than a stranger and handing over to him was kind of symbolic I guess.

“Ben just sprinted it. He was really fast and said he really enjoyed it.”

She added: “I don’t think I will be forgetting it very soon.”

After carrying the torch through Dorchester Ben and Annie headed down to Weymouth with their family for the celebrations.