WORLD snooker champion Peter Ebdon will carry the Queen's Golden Jubilee Baton into York on Friday as the world's longest relay race sweeps through North Yorkshire.

Since March 11, the baton has been carried by thousands of people through 24 countries across the Commonwealth.

The chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, David Ashton, from Escrick, will be taking part in the baton relay.

The baton, which is specially designed, contains The Queen's Commonwealth Message.

It pulses with lights to match the runner's heartbeat.

Now it is passing through 500 towns and cities across the United Kingdom on its way to the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester on July 25.

This Friday and Saturday, it is the turn of towns across Yorkshire to welcome the relay runners.

The relay reaches Harrogate at lunchtime on Friday, passing through Kings Road, Station Parade, York Place and Wetherby Road.

The baton will then be driven to Wetherby, arriving at 1.40pm. It will then be carried to Boston Spa and Clifford, arriving in Boston Spa High Street at about 2pm.

After going to Pontefract and Knottingley, the baton next appears at the A19 at Brayton at about 5pm, from where it will be carried through Selby to Barlby.

It will then be carried into York from Fulford at about 6.30pm, with runners heading down the A19 Fulford Road and Fishergate and arriving at the Eye of York at just before 7pm.

Community celebrations, hosted by BBC Radio York, will have started at the Eye at 5.30pm. Playing on the stage will be the bands Conflux, TBA and the York Community Street Band, and a large screen will show the runners coming into York. Earlier, there will be street theatre in Parliament Street and the Coppergate Centre.

On Saturday, the relay starts again from outside York Minster at 9.21am, going by horse and cart to via St Leonard's Place, Gillygate, Lord Mayor's Walk, Monkgate and Malton Road.

Then it will be driven to Malton, where it is due to arrive at Malton and Norton Rugby Club at about 10.45am.

It will then be carried through Old Malton before being driven to Scarborough to be carried up the coast via Whitby to Middlesbrough.

Relay director Di Henry said the relay was the country's

opportunity to say thank you to the heroes of their communities - "those people who have been selected to carry the baton in recognition of the extraordinary things they have achieved for themselves or for others."

Updated: 11:47 Wednesday, July 03, 2002