AN inspirational youth worker and former paralympian from Bristol will carry the Olympic Torch on its journey around the country.

For Andy Townsend not only will the event in May make his 40th birthday even more special but it will bring back memories of his own Olympic experience back in 1992.

Mr Townsend, 39, was nominated for the honour by his parents thanks to his work at Lifeskills, an interactive safety project based at the Create Centre in Smeaton Road.

Despite finding out weeks ago that he had been one of 8,000 people chosen from 63,000 nominees to be torch bearers, Mr Townsend had to keep it a secret until it was formally announced yesterday.

He said: "I'm extremely excited.

"My parents nominated me and I couldn't even tell them until this morning. They are overjoyed, as is everyone else I've spoken to."

As part of the nomination his parents wrote that Mr Townsend was: "an inspiration to children, young people and adults all through his life".

Mr Townsend was born with a deformity in his right leg and had a below-knee amputation when he was just three years old. But he always enjoyed sport and represented Britain in the volleyball squad for the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics.

He said: "It was the Olympics with Linford Christie and the whole experience was awesome. It is the ultimate for any athlete and it's great that my work with the community in Lifeskills has been recognised. I've been really fortunate and now I've just got to prepare for the 300m run with the torch."

Mr Townsend does not know where he will carry the torch but expects to do so either one or two days after he turns 40 on May 21.