Commonwealth baton reaches Wales

Wrexham mayor, Coun Arwel Gwynn Jones welcomes the Queen's baton

The Commonwealth Games' baton has arrived in Wales as it makes way to the 2010 event in Delhi.

It was carried through Wrexham by various athletes including Olympic gold medal winner Tom James.

The rower was joined by, among others, Wrexham football manager Dean Saunders, and swimmer Lowri Tynan.

The Queen's Baton Relay passes through Caernarfon later. It will take in 70 Commonwealth nations before arriving in India to mark the start of the games.

Its journey started on 29 October at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen's Baton Relay is said to symbolise the unity and shared ideals of the Commonwealth nations and enables communities beyond the Host City to share in the games celebrations.

The first relay was held to mark the then Empire Games in 1958 when it was hosted by Cardiff.

The batons, specially designed for each new games, contain a special message from the Queen, which is read out to mark the opening of each Commonwealth Games.

It's no small baton, that things weighs a good 5kg... my arm was aching at the end of it Medal winning rower, Tom James

The 2010 games relay will cover a distance of more than 190,000 kilometres in 340 days.

The last time the baton went to Wrexham was in 2002 ahead of the games in Manchester.

Olympic gold medal winning rower, Tom James, from Coedpoeth, said it was an honour to take part in the event.

"It's a tremendous privilege. It's a fantastic thing for sport, it's a fantastic thing for Wales and also for the Commonwealth Games where it's going to end up in India in 2010," said the rower.

"For me it's a really nice thing to be a part of. I think Wrexham have really got behind it. It's been a good start to a good day."

"It's not the normal thing you see coming through your town. It's very symbolic, it's very tangible, you can see what it means.

"It's no small baton, that things weighs a good 5kg (11lbs), my arm was aching at the end of it."

Wrexham council's Bob Dutton said: "It is an honour to be the first county in Wales to be receiving the Queen's Baton.

"It is a great opportunity for Wrexham to showcase their fantastic sporting facilities and athletes.

"It's great to see the baton coming back to Wales."

The baton relay continues its journey through Wales over the next four days, calling at Caernarfon later on Monday, before heading to Aberystwyth.

On Tuesday, the baton relay will be at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, before being carried underground at the National Coal Museum at Big Pit in Blaenavon on Wednesday.