The Olympic torch arrives in the UK today ready to begin a relay of the UK taking 70 days and covering 8,000 miles.

The flame was lit last week by a woman dressed as an ancient priestess who caught the sun's rays in a parabolic mirror in Olympia, Greece creating a flame. This first flame will in turn ignite every one of the 8,000 three-sided aluminium alloy torches that will be carried by torch bearers between Saturday and the start of the Olympics on 27 July.

Almost all torchbearers are people nominated locally for their achievements or good deeds, with a smattering of celebrities. It has not yet been announced who will light the cauldron inside the Olympic Stadium.

The Metropolitan Police has a team of 70 officers who will rotate in teams running alongside the torchbearer and whose primarily responsibility is to guard the flame and torchbearer along the route. Although there is currently no intelligence of a planned protest along the route of the torch relay, Olympic organisers and the police are wary that disturbance is possible. Potential protests could come from those opposed to the Olympic's many controversial sponsors including Dow Chemical, Coca Cola, Adidas and Rio Tinto. Although the Met have urged anyone planning a protest to talk to them and negotiate a peaceful and respectful demonstration, none have stepped forward.

After the flame's arrival in the UK today, tomorrow torchbearers will carry the flame on its first leg of the journey from Land's End to Plymouth. The beginning of the torch relay marks the real countdown until the games begin on July 27, just 70 days away.

[Image shows the torch relay rehearsal through Uppingham]