Edward Barber

The Olympic torch unveiled to the world ahead of the 2012 games in London was designed by a former Shropshire art and design student, it has been revealed.

Edward Barber, born and raised in Shrewsbury, further enhanced the county’s links with the Games after winning the tender to create the torch, which will be carried across the country, with his business partner Jay Osgerby.

It will be carried throughout the UK before the start of the Olympic Games next summer.

The impressive design is gold coloured and features an aluminium frame adorned with the London 2012 logo.

It contains 8,000 holes, representing each of the runners who will carry the flame for 70 days around the UK and Ireland.

Former Shrewsbury Sixth Form and Shrewsbury College student Mr Barber, 42, said he was proud of his Shropshire roots.

He said that it was great for the county to be playing such a pivotal role in the Games with the torch also set to pass through Much Wenlock, regarded as the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games.

“It’s been an honour, not just from a Shropshire perspective, but also a designer to represent your country,” he added.

Mr Barber said that designing the torch had been one of his toughest assignments and he was happy with the finished product.

The designer, who runs the firm BarberOsgerby with Mr Osgerby, said: “I studied at the Sixth Form and then went onto the tech to do my foundation course.

“It would have been around 1987 and 88 and I later went onto Leeds to study design and then architecture in London at the Royal College of Arts.

“The torch project came about through an international tender and you had to submit your credentials. There were more than 600 companies around the world that submitted tenders and we managed to make it to the shortlist and we were lucky enough to win.

“It was very challenging and we were given a list of criteria that it had to be able to sustain temperatures of minus 5C, heights of 4,500ft, wind gusts up to 75mph and torrential rain.”

By Russell Roberts