Cheshire Academy athletes and coaches with Mayors and Deputy Mayors (see text)

With the team winning a record 40 gold, 26 silver and 15 bronze medals at these games the 'extinguishing of the torch' brought to a conclusion 18 months of hard work and training by the athletes and coaches fro the nationally renowned Cheshire academy in Crewe.

Before a crowd of over 230 people the Mayor of Congleton Borough Councilor Gordon Baxendale and the deputy mayor of Winsford Pam Booher both paid tribute to the tremendous work carried out by special Olympics and both referred to "the great credit these athletes bring to all the boroughs and towns in South and East Cheshire"

Councilor Steven Roberts, who was mayor of crewe and Nantwich during 2004 when the South and east Cheshire Team was first selected spoke warmly of the teams success and of the "tremendous kudos that these athletes bring to the borough of Crewe and Nantwich" and of the "wonderful benefits sport can bring to children with disabilities"

	Congleton Borough Mayor Gordon Bexendale with athletes from Sandbach

"I know first hand the tremendous dedication and professionalism of the staff at the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts and of South and East Cheshire Special Olympics as a whole. They have dedicated so much of their time training the athletes and getting the very best from every one of them. I have come to expect extraordinary results from an extraordinary group of coaches and athletes"

The ceremony to extinguish the flame saw the lowering of the special Olympic flag by Mark Hughes. Mark successfully beat

all other gymnasts in the UK in his age group to collect an All Round national gymnastics title.

Table tennis player Jack Fellows and footballers Joseph Harrison and Kieran Sandlands carried off the special Olympic flag. It will be packed away until the next national games in 4 years time. The honour of actually extinguishing the flame fell to table tennis player Neil Jones and councilor Roberts.

At the conclusion of the torch ceremony family and friends assembled to take photos of the team and to chat with the coaches and dignitaries.

	Deputy Mayor of Winsford Pam Booher with Winsford athlete James Ellwood

"This extinguishing of the torch ceremony has been a wonderful opportunity for athletes, coaches, parents and dignitaries to mingle and chat and to talk and share the experiences about these games. The young athletes talked enthusiastically and excitedly about the fantastic time that they had. Their happiness and excitement was palpable and contagious and inspired everyone who listened. No one could hear their stories and share their experiences and not be touched by what they were hearing. It is just wonderful to see how sport and competition can motivate these young athletes to achieve things even their own parents thought would be impossible".

The mood of the moment was summed up by young footballer Dominic Wyartt age 9, when he asked during a lull in the proceedings.

" so when do we start training for the next games then...".