Show to highlight torch gateway

The fire show will begin with a moody "meditation of the sea"

A pyrotechnic display will light up England's "gateway" in an attempt to persuade the London 2012 organisers to bring the Olympic torch through Dover.

A fire show at the Kent port is expected to link the sea, the harbour, and the iconic white cliffs.

Sixty years ago the torch entered the UK through Dover for the 1948 games.

Light Up Dover, which will be attended by athletes who competed in the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, begins at 2015 BST on Friday.

'World-class heritage'

Organisers said the display, by Kent-based company The World Famous, will begin with a "moody meditation on the sea" and culminate in a "great celebration of fire and the torch", complete with a dramatic soundscape.

It is part of the launch of the Cultural Olympiad - the four-year celebration of British culture in the lead up to London 2012 - and will be followed by a weekend of events across the county.

The Arts Council England, which sponsored the event, described the event as part of the "renaissance" of the gateway to England.

Councillor Julie Rook, from Dover District Council, said: "This is fantastic news for the area and is an incredible opportunity to celebrate Dover's world-class heritage and iconic coastline, and to highlight the major role the town can play in supporting London 2012."

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