CHILDREN from a Suffolk school are celebrating after they were chosen to form a guard of honour at the Olympic Games.

Eight year nine students from Thurston Community College now have only weeks to wait before they will line up on the streets in the Olympic Park to help create a carnival atmosphere.

Athletes will walk past them on to the Olympic Stadium where the multi-million-pound opening ceremony will take place.

Kelly Allcock, PE teacher at Thurston Community College, said: “Well, understandably the students were completed excited, I could not get them to be quiet. They cannot wait to get started.”

The students will join 2,000 schoolchildren who will be holding lanterns and banners to support each of the 204 competing teams.

Students from the college have been designing a banner to support the Israel team.

As the build-up increases to the Guard of Honour procession on Friday, July 27, 17 primary schools have all been invited to the Thurston Partnership Olympics today, where students will compete against one another in Olympic sports.

Students from three other Suffolk schools have also been selected to take part in the Guard of Honour. Children from Acton Primary School near Sudbury, Bungay High School and Heath Primary School in Ipswich, will all take part.

The Guard of Honour schools have been selected through the London 2012 education programme, Get Set. The schools were chosen after demonstrating a commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values and incorporating them into their curriculum.

Seb Coe, chairman of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “For athletes, the Guard of Honour will provide a stunning welcome to the Games and a perfect curtain raiser for the Athletes’ Parade.”

People across the county will be out in force today as they welcome the Olympic Torch to Suffolk.