THOUSANDS of people turned out to welcome the Olympic torch to south Essex.

About 30,000 people, including school children, lined the route in Rayleigh on Friday morning.

The torch then travelled into Southend, where Olympic swimmer Mark Foster was a torchbearer.

He was greeted by thousands of cheering people as he made his way along the High Street.

Southend seafront was packed and those who turned out where treated to music from a choir made up of more than 1,000 school children, who welcomed the torch's arrival.

After passing through Leigh, the torch went to Hadleigh where it was, again, welcomed by cheering crowds.

The event in Hadleigh also took in the Olympic mountain biking course, which is set to attract hundreds of visitors during the Games.

The torch then travelled to Basildon. The new Sporting Village was the focus of the event.

Thousands of people stood in the rain to watch the once in a lifetime moment.

It was greeted on the seafront by a 2,000-strong choir singing a specially-commisioned song "Anthem".

It then travelled west to Chalkwell.

The torch arrived in Hadleigh at 1.50pm and took in the mountain biking venue at Hadleigh Castle just before 2.30pm.

It then went to Basildon and Grays at about 3.25pm.