A SPECIAL baton relay marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force is heading to Somerset.

The event, which is visiting 100 sites with links to the RAF over 100 days, is set to arrive in Watchet at 11am on St George's Day, April 23.

It is understood there will be a civic welcome at Watchet War Memorial and the Watchet Phoenix Centre to welcome the relay as it makes its way across the country. 

The relay is part of the RAF100 celebrations, commemorating and celebrating the service of those who have defended the Nation’s interests - at home and overseas - over the past 100 years.

A spokesman for the campaign said: "The idea of the baton relay originally began as an orienteering challenge and still has a significant element of that in it.

"Each baton carrier will be given just a start and end point and they will have to work out the rest themselves.

"The baton will be carried by RAF personnel, cadets, veterans and members of the many sporting associations that make up the RAF.

"Among many means of travel, it will be transported by boat along the River Thames by the RAF Rowing Club, carried by the RAF Falcons as they parachute from an aircraft, be ridden on horseback and power kited along Benbecula."

The relay began its journey at the Royal Courts of Justice on April 1 and will end 100 days later, July 10, on Horseguards Parade in London.