To be honest, we were a bit cynical about the Olympic Torch Relay. We knew the 2012 Games were going over budget but cutting costs by getting 8,000 ‘lucky’ volunteers to carry the Olympic flame 8,000 miles was a bit cheeky. But yesterday, a flame-related story melted our hearts. We’ve since had open heart surgery (it went well thanks) and are now well enough to tell you the story.

On Monday morning, David State was midway through his leg of the relay between the towns of Marske-by-the-Sea and Loftus in north east England when he suddenly stopped. Was it cramp? A snapped shoelace? Had the flame gone out? No, no and no. He handed the torch to an Olympic henchman, got down on one knee and proposed to his eight-months pregnant girlfriend, Christine.

"I was in complete shock," she said. "I think I still am, it [was] obviously emotional anyway watching him run with the torch, but then he palmed it off with somebody and got down on one knee. I was surprised I didn't give birth there and then." Luckily she didn't. And luckily for David, she said yes.

Rumours that they’re going to call the baby Lord Coe were completely made up by us. There was no time to celebrate though as David had to continue his leg of the torch relay. Should the happy couple need a helping hand financially when they come to decorate the nursery and keep the kid in nappies, they’re in luck.

Each relay volunteer gets to keep their torch and despite the fact they look like over-sized cheese graters, they’ve been selling for thousands on eBay (other internet auction sites are available). One relay runner from Burnham-on-Sea sold hers for £153,100 even though it was "soot marked from its moments alight".

A quick internet search reveals there's actually another one for sale right now. That's why we're going to end the story here. We've just been outbid by sexychest13.

Copyright : Comedy Central UK