About 20 local poets will capture the imagery of the Olympic torch passing through York streets next week by “tweeting” their lines at different stages of the journey.

Poet performers from The Spoken Word group will compose the story at different intervals along the route.

Their tweets will then be compiled as part of York Stories and published in a York 800 anthology released in September.

Rose Drew, who recalls seeing the flame in the USA 30 years ago, said: “We have all been busy learning to tweet and having a lot of fun.”

• Princess Beatrice of York will be among VIP guests welcoming the Olympic flame to Harewood House, between Harrogate and Leeds, on Tuesday.