The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived tonight at a star-studded gala dinner celebrating the Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

More than 40 torch bearers will carry the Olympic flame through the streets of Dublin when it tours the only city outside the UK.

It will be carried by the some of the biggest names in Irish sport and it will traverse some of our most iconic landscapes prior to the Olympic Games but a Shannon Airport hangar and an airport duty manager were never part of the plan.

IT IS almost certain the Olympic Torch will visit Ireland next year for the first time in the history of the Games.

FOR the first time the Olympic Torch could be carried through the streets of Dublin if negotiations between the London 2012 organising committee and the OCI President, Pat Hickey, reach a successful conclusion.

Tennis fans were left fearing the second wash-out of the first week at Wimbledon today after the start of play was delayed due to heavy rain.