Fauji Singh, the 101-year-old marathon runner, made history as he became the relay’s oldest torchbearer on the flame’s exit from Newham.

He took the torch at about 1.45pm and was swamped by delirious onlookers hoping to get a piece of the action.

The torch has now left the borough after more than three-and-a-half hours. Paloma Faith and Phillips Idowu joined dozens of torchbearers on the route from North Woolwich to Stratford via Central Park in East Ham.

Fauji started his career as a marathon runner at the age of 89 and ran his last London Marathon this year in a time of seven hours, 49 minutes. He is no stranger to this torch-carrying lark - he also took the flame when it was in London for the 2004 Athens Games.

Last year he became the first 100-year-old to complete a marathon when he ran in the Toronto Waterfront event.

With that, the flame left Newham for Tower Hamlets - until its return to Stratford for the Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday.