体坛英语新闻：Four Paralympic flames kindled around the UK

LONDON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Four Paralympic flames was kindled at the top of the highest peaks of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland ahead of next week's Games, the BBC said on Wednesday.

They were created on Northern Ireland's Slieve Donard, Snowdon in Wales, Scotland's Ben Nevis and on Scafell Pike in England's Lake District.

Four teams scaled the highest peaks of the home countries to spark the flames which will come together at Stoke Mandeville on Tuesday.

The flames will be carried down in lanterns ahead of celebrations in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast over the Bank Holiday weekend.

A 24-hour relay will leave Stoke Mandeville, the spiritual home of the Games, to arrive in Stratford in time for the opening ceremony in London.

The flame on Snowdon was kindled with Lord Coe, chairman of Games organizers LOCOG, looking on.

He told the BBC: "I'm absolutely sure this will start the excitement around the Paralympics. We get the Paralympics in this country and this is just a great way of starting the flame on its journey to the Paralympic Stadium.

"I think a lot of people are going to be taken by surprise when they see the quality of Paralympic sport. Some were probably watching Olympic sport for the first time during those Games but when they see Paralympic sport for the first time they are going to be blown away by it," said Coe.