Olympic torch: Teenager held over attempt to grab torch

A teenager has been arrested after attempting to grab the Olympic flame as the torch relay passed through Gravesend in Kent.

The 17-year-old boy ran at speed out of the crowd towards the torchbearer and was grabbed by officers from the torch security team.

They wrestled him to the ground and he was arrested by Kent Police.

The incident happened at 09:55 BST on day 63 of the relay which is travelling 105 miles from Maidstone to Guildford.

Torchbearer Anna Skora, 23, from Lublin in Poland swerved out of the way but continued with her section of the relay.

She told BBC South East: "I remember the sight of this guy, he jumped to me. This moment I remember [then] some security go to me."

The Metropolitan Police, from which the torch security officers are drawn, said: "We would like to remind members of the public not to attempt to breach the security bubble around the torchbearer."

Earlier the flame was carried on a boat at Maidstone Rowing Club and later moved on to Brands Hatch.

The motor racing venue will be the base for the road cycling events of the 2012 Paralympics, starting on 30 August.

Craig Preece, a former soldier who lost his leg in an incident in Afghanistan, rode on to the track with the flame.

Another of the day's 140 torchbearers will be Olympic medallist Roger Black.

A hugely popular athlete during the 14 years he represented Great Britain, Black won silver in the 400m and in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and a bronze in the 4x400m relay at the 1992 Barcelona Games.