A PRESTON man has been selected to take part in the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay -- the Commonwealth Games' equivalent of the Olympic Torch relay.

Andy Cooper, 24, of Grove Street, Bamber Bridge, will run 500 yards with the baton during its 50-day journey around the British Isles.

The baton, which will contain a message from the Queen, symbolises the calling of the athletes to compete at the Manchester games.

It will leave Buckingham Palace in March for a 20,000-mile journey round the world and will return to the UK on June 26 after an 97-day trip through 21 Commonwealth countries.

Andy, a human resources officer with the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service, was one of six ambulance workers whose names were drawn out of a hat containing the names of everyone interested in taking part.

He said: "I'm going to have to get in training, I'm a bit out of shape at the moment.

"I'm really excited about it and looking forward to it."

The ambulance team will join 2,500 other Jubilee runners who will carry the baton as it passes through more than 500 towns and villages across the UK.