FIVE lucky people from Craven are gearing up to become part of the country's biggest sporting event this year.

They have been chosen to run a leg of the Queen's Jubilee Baton relay as part of the 60,000-mile journey through 24 countries on five continents.

When the baton arrives in Manchester on July 25, it will mark the beginning of the Commonwealth Games.

Each runner has been chosen for the relay because of their contribution to the community or for their achievements against all odds.

The baton, which left Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day, March 11, travelled through 24 countries before arriving back in Britain on June 6.

The relay is now travelling through 500 towns and cities as part of its 50-day, 5,000-mile journey around the UK.

"Ordinary folk", nominated by friends and family, have joined sports stars and television celebrities in the relay.

One of the "ordinary folk" is county and district councillor Mike Doyle who said he was "nobbled in the corridor" at county hall into taking part, but was proud to be involved in such a huge event.

"Somebody as unathletic as me feels a bit of a fraud taking part but I will do my best not to disgrace myself or the baton," he said.

Coun Doyle will run a section from Skipton Castle up the Bailey.

The specially designed baton, which contains the Queen's Commonwealth message and pulses with lights to match the runner's heartbeat is due to arrive in Skipton on July 5.

It will travel from the Hanover International along Keighley Road, up the High Street to the castle, up the Bailey to the Knaresborough Road.

Starting the leg through Skipton will be Nellie Thornton, of Ilkley, at 11.18am, followed by Shirley Collins, of Hemsworth, Ruth Emery, of Keighley, Isobel O'Mara, of Pontefract, Eric Gledhill, of Long Preston, John Bale, of Sheffield, Coun Doyle, of Skipton, Richard Collinson, of Bristol and Elizabeth Hughes, of Keighley.

Each runner will cover about 200 metres.

Skiptonians Hannah Beck and Annabel Varley will be covering legs through Queensbury on July 4, and Stuart Lane, also of Skipton, will be receiving the baton from TV's Harry Gration and running a section through Bingley.

The baton will start its Bradford to York leg on July 5 at 9.02am. It will travel through Shipley (09.43), Bingley (10.10), Skipton (11.18), Harrogate (12.25), Wetherby (13.27), Pontefract (15.51), Knottingley (16.29), Brayton (17.04), Selby (17.47) and York (18.40), where a community celebration has been planned to mark its arrival.

Some of the runners carrying the baton on July 5 include Bradford Bulls player Michael Withers in Bradford at 9.38am, TV presenters Richard Whitley and Harry Gration in Bingley at 10.33am and 10.36am and offspin bowler Daniel Broadbent who will carry The Baton into the evening celebration in York.

The baton's current position can be found by logging on to www.commonwealthgames.com where a satellite-based global positioning system keeps record of its location.