Tibet doubts make torchbearers drop out of London relay

The preparations for the Olympic torch relay were overshadowed today after one of the invited torchbearers pulled out and others said they had declined an invitation to Sunday's parade through London.

Disclosures came after details emerged of the security arrangements surrounding VIP torch-bearers who will be flanked by police and Chinese "flame attendants" along the 31-mile route.

Disabled comedian Francesca Martinez became the first person to withdraw from the parade, on the same day that she was named with 80 others on the official list. As a supporter of the pro-Tibet movement she felt she could not participate and urged others to join the boycott.

Ms Martinez told Channel 4 News: "I fully support the Tibetan cause and in a way I feel that, because of the mounting pressure and the ongoing violence in Tibet, that torch-bearers should turn down their role."

Celebrities including sports broadcaster-Gabby Logan and chef Gordon Ramsay have also turned down torchbearer duties, it has emerged.

It is thought Logan told organisers she could not take part because she is due on air the same day. Her husband, the Scottish rugby player Kenny Logan, will carry the torch. Organisers said an invitation to Ramsay was turned down as he will be in Paris.

Mark Byford, the deputy directorgeneral of the BBC, has also pulled out, saying it was because he would have to make journalistic decisions about coverage. Meanwhile the Chinese Embassy in London insisted ambassador Fu Ying would run the Olympic torch relay.

There were doubts over whether Ms Fu would take part when the embassy said she would be spending Sunday with the official Beijing 2008 delegation.

But in a later statement the embassy said: "There has never been a view expressed from the Chinese Embassy at any point that the ambassador is pulling out of the torch relay."

The Met said that it was aware of six organisations planning to send a total of up to 500 protesters to the route.