EDWARDS COY ON TORCH BEARER ROLE

Jonathan Edwards has said that he would be "honoured" to light the Olympic torch at next year's London Olympics. The announcement comes just days after Dame Kelly Holmes launched her own bid to become the flame bearer under the strapline DK to Shoot Up. Holmes, who says that she is "the clear choice", told her On Camp With Kelly group that they must "forget about" their summer seasons and spend their time "hitting Facebook, Twitter and everything else" to get the bid going. Holmes is understood to count Edwards amongst her key rivals.

"I'm not saying that I'm putting myself forward" Edwards told Radio Five Live "but it would be a real honour. I know that Seb [His Lordship, Sebastian Newbold Coe] and I go way back and it would be nice to think that loyalty is repaid - not that I'm interested". The Triple Jump World Record holder - whom the echo revealed to be a twerp last year - dismissed a suggestion that fellow BBC commentator Steve Cram could be in with a shout: "it's a real shame Steve never managed to get that Olympic Gold. I guess that that is a pre-requisite".

Meanwhile, the Office of His Lordship have confirmed that they have received "a number of gifts" for the Baron in recent weeks. It is understood that Brendan Foster sent in a "selection of his favourite cakes", David Beckham provided a case of fine wine, whilst Tom Daly (the diver) sent in his favourite cuddly toy. Kelly Sotherton is believed to have emailed a video file marked "for the Lord's eyes only" as her pitch for glory.

"These bribes won't make a difference" said the Lord's Deputy Director of Being Like An Everyday Guy (North West Region) "the BBC have already stipulated that the Opening Ceremony must feature Jessica Ennis in every shot, so our hands are tied on this one. We did however really enjoy eating the chocolates that Paula Radcliffe sent in".

WILLS LOVED ME LONG BEFORE KATE: SOTHERTON

echo ROYAL EXCLUSIVE: WILLS 'PROPOSED' TO KELLY BUT SHE SAID NO

Prince William was in love with former Olympic Heptathlon bronze medalist Kelly Sotherton, the lufbra echo can reveal. In an exclusive interview, Kelly (who denies that Jessica Ennis's success has got to her) told the echo that Wills "was ready to run away to Libya" with here where they were set to "live happily ever after just outside Tripoli". Southerton also claimed that that was why Britain was currently at war with Libya: "because it reminded little Willy too much of me".

The extraordinary revelation comes just hours before the Nation's favourite Prince ties the knot with new love Kate Middleton. "I always said it would never last" said Sotherton, seemingly unaware of the fact that the couple were getting married tomorrow "when he finished it with her, he called me straight away. We met up and went for a walk round some castle or something near the Windsor track and that posh school. He said that I was the girl of his dreams and that all he wanted was to spend the rest of his life with me."

Sotherton has also revealed that she ditched the prince - despite initially agreeing to his request to move abroad - at Gatwick airport. "We were due to get an EasyJet flight to Ibiza and then a boat to Libya from there" revealed the ex-Commonwealth Champion "I told him straight in McDonalds (South Terminal). I said look, I don't want this and ended it all right then and there. He cried like Jess Ennis after she got dropped for the Olympics". 

Sotherton claimed that Wills "flew to Athens especially" to watch her compete at the 2004 Games and denies rumours that he was now an Ennis fan. "F****** nonsense! Why'd you have to bring that cow into it? She never entered his thoughts all the time we were going out. I was his only ever love." Adding that Wills enjoyed doing mock medal ceremonies to God Save Grannie in the bedroom, Sotherton said that she was happy with her decision to ditch the royal lifestyle.

NEWS ROUND UP

'NO CONCERN' OVER OLYMPIC FUNDING: COE

ENNIS 'NOT FAZED' BY MEDIA HYPE

Jessica Ennis has denied that she has been distracted by the special attention she has received since winning the World Championships in 2009. The Heptathlete has been the subject of fierce media scrutiny ever since the BBC revealed plans for an annual "Jess Day" where they show 24 hours of non-stop Ennis related programming on BBC 1 and BBC Radio Five Live. Although the idea has been quietly dropped, it is understood that BBC producers have now rented homes up and down Ennis' Sheffield street in order to be the first to break any "Jess News". A Beeb insider told the echo that the £10m project was already paying off. "Last week and eagle eyed report spotted that Jess has brought 1% milk instead of the usual semi-skimmed" enthused the senior executive "it prompted a series of stories on the benefits of such a move. Unfortunately we had to retract them all when we spotted a return to the usual green tops the following day". Earlier this year, Ennis called for "a thorough review" of Facebook usage after Kelly Sotherton was accused of hacking into her account.

SMITH CALLS FOR NEWHAM FOCUS

Newham's manager Bob Smith has called for his athletes to remain "focussed on the task at hand" ahead of the new season. The club are in serious financial difficulty and are badly in need of the funding that a third successive Premiership title would bring. "I have sat the lads down" said Smith "and told them to forget everything but running". It is understood that the club will be unable to maintain the £150m annual wage bill "much past June" and players are being encouraged by their agents to look for other clubs. 

FARAH FUMING AT ROYAL SNUB

Mo Farah has claimed to of "lost sleep" over his "derisory" seating position at Friday's Royal Wedding. The GB International is well known to be a personal friend of Prince William and has been snapped on regular shooting jaunts with the Royals around the Balmoral estate. Farah is upset after being assigned a seat towards the back of Westminster Abbey and is "next to a bunch of no hopers" according to the 5k star. "I am seventeenth in line to be best man" thundered Farah "how can I be treated so badly? I'm sitting next to Nick Clegg - it's going to be awful".

ENNIS CALLS FOR ACTION AFTER FACEBOOK ROW

Jessica Ennis has criticised ex-heptathlete Kelly Sotherton after her Facebook account was hacked into. It is understood that the World Champion and BBC Golden Girl was left seething when her account announced that she was "taking a break from athletics to focus on her pole dancing career". Sotherton has since accepted a UKA charge of improper conduct and faces a hefty fine.

"So childish" sighed Ennis from a Comic Relief wet t-shit competition "it's a shame really, Kelly was never as good as I am and so is constantly undermining me. Last year she hid my Javelin pole in the men's toilets before the start of the Europeans. This has got to stop". Ennis - who came third in the t-shirt competition after being narrowly beaten by Sue Barker and Zara Phillips - added that it was about time UKA got tough on "bully" Sotherton. "She has got away with this for too long now. I don't know what she has got on UKA but it must be dynamite". Ennis spent nearly an hour signing autographs for well-wishers and BBC executives before leaving in a black Mercedes.

For her part, Sotherton defended her actions stating that Ennis "had it coming". "Who the hell does she think she is?" stormed an irate Sotherton from outside Asda (Bracknell branch - 24 hours) "all the time on the BBC smirking about this or that or nothing in particular. Where's her Olympic medal? Where is it? Answer me! It's nowhere, because she is nowhere and never will be!" Sotherton - who denied that she had been drinking or that Ennis' success was getting to her - then walked into a window before being escorted off site by store security. "Just you wait until I master the hammer throw" shouted Southerton as was bundled on to the free bus "then you'll see. I'm a thousand times what Jess will ever be!"