SWIMMING legend Mark Foster will carry the Olympic Torch through Southend.

The six-time world champion and five-time Olympian, from Billericay, has been selected as one of the torchbearers when the relay comes to south Essex on July 6.

The 42-year-old, who began his swimming career at the now closed Warrior Square pool in Southend, said he is yet to find out which part of Southend he would be carry the symbolic torch through.

He said: “Coming back to Southend, where my swimming career began, and carrying the flame a quarter of a mile around the town is a huge honour.

“I love being involved in the whole build-up to the Olympics and my big message is this torch is going within ten miles of 95 per cent of the population.

“I am one of those who never gave up and always wanted to represent my country at the Olympics.

“It is lovely to be part of this.”

The torch relay is held ahead of every Olympic Games and this year’s event began last week, when the torch was lit in Olympia, Greece.

Thousands of people nominated by their friends and family for their courageous stories and achievements will carry the torch, as well as sports stars like Mark.

The torch arrives in the UK tomorrow and will travel across the country for 70 days.

On July 6, the flame arrives in Essex and will be carried through Rochford, Southend, Hadleigh and Basildon on its route to Chelmsford.

The 31 Southend torchbearers will carry the torch from the A127 down Prince Avenue, around Cuckoo Corner and along Victoria Avenue, past the Civic Centre to Victoria Gateway.

It will then go down Southend High Street, Pier Hill and along City Beach, before heading to Hadleigh – where the Olympic mountain biking races are being staged.

Derek Jarvis, Southend councillor responsible for culture and tourism, said he is delighted Mark is running a leg of the relay.

He added: “Mark has close links to Southend, having been educated in the town, and of course he officially opened the new Southend Swimming and Diving Centre where the British Olympic diving squad will be training in the run-up to the London games.

“He’s got one of the highest profiles of any British Olympic sportsman, which was borne out when he was selected to carry the flag for the Great Britain team at the Parade of Nations during the opening ceremony at the Beijing Games in 2008.

“July 6 was already going to be a day to remember for Southend, but now Mark has confirmed that he will be carrying the torch through the town, it will be an even more historic event.”