Olympic fever spread across the borough as pupils took part in a month-long torch relay.

The Big WoW relay saw youngsters from nine Barking and Dagenham primary and secondary schools carry the 1948 London and 1956 Melbourne Olympic torches on the second day of its journey through London.

Pupils from Newham, where the relay started, handed the torch to Ripple Primary School, Barking, last Tuesday, whose pupils walked to nearby Thames View Juniors.

The torches were then carried by various pupils to Monteagle Primary, Jo Richardson, Godwin Primary, St Peter’s Catholic School, Village Infants, Dagenham Park and John Perry Primary, before heading for Havering.

The relay, which will end in Greenwich in three weeks’ time, was organised by TfL to instill Olympic spirit and encourage young people to walk to school more regularly.

Allan Watkins, deputy headteacher at John Perry Primary, in Dagenham, said: “We are delighted to have been asked to participate in this wonderful event.

“The six pupils who took part handed over the torches to Whybridge Infants School in Havering, where they were met by the whole school. It was a wonderful welcome.”