Sark bids farewell to its golden son

SARK said farewell to its favourite son this morning as Carl Hester and fellow Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin left the island after what he described as 'an incredible weekend'.

The island's children turned out in force near the gold-coloured post box in The Avenue and turned the event into yet another photograph and autograph opportunity as the Olympians yet again demonstrated their extraordinary patience – patience that has been a feature of their visit.

And Carl's tongue in cheek criticism of the fact that the Olympic flame was taken to Guernsey but not to Sark was tempered somewhat with a surprise visit yesterday – not by the flame but at least by one of the torches which was brought to the island by former Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland.

For Charlotte, who had never visited Sark before, she made sure she enjoyed an early morning swim at Dixcart Bay although she admitted later that the water was 'freezing'.

• More on this story in Tuesday's Press