OLYMPIC TORCH: 9.45am The feelgood factor in Rye is off the scale!

There are no barriers here, the crowds are packing the narrow streets up close to the action.

We are told this is the only town where the vehicle cavalcade won’t be going through due to narrow Landgate Arch.

Instead it will be the runners and a colourful parade of hundreds of youngsters.

Crowds are already building with a palpable sense of excitement and anticipation.

Enthusiastic youngsters from Rye Primary School are among more than 1,000 local school children who will be forming a colourful parade behind the torch runner.

There is a real buzz on the streets here and to top it all the sun is shining. We can’t remember a day quite like this in the historic town.