To celebrate the sweltering 30°C temperatures in London, tomorrow an enormous fire will be lit at the Olympic Stadium. Well, perhaps it will help to keep the chill away during the evening sessions.
As any wood-burning stove owner who has ever found a bird happily sitting in their firebox or discovered a nest in their chimney will testify, our feathered friends and fires should largely be kept separate.
So, it’s our hope that the London 2012 organisers have learnt the lessons of Seoul 1988. On that occasion, part of the opening ceremony included the release of hundreds of doves from the stadium.
The problem was that many of the doves didn’t fly too far and instead decided to find a nice spot on which to perch (as birds are wont to do). Some of them chose to sit on the Olympic cauldron itself, and were still there when the time came to light the cauldron.
The South Korean cauldron lighters clearly subscribed to the ‘show must go on’ philosophy and went about their business dutifully. As a consequence, the millions watching on TV around the world were treated to a cremation of several live doves.
It remains to be seen who will be lighting the cauldron at the ceremony tomorrow evening. David Beckham and Prince William seem to be among the main candidates being touted by most people. We would offer them some tips on lighting a fire, but we suspect they’ll be greatly assisted by gas being pumped into the cauldron.
Whoever gets the job, let’s hope Seb Coe has devised a plan to rid the cauldron of wildlife beforehand!