Dame Ellen MacArthur with her London 2012 Olympic torch in East Cowes, Isle of Wight.
DAME Ellen MacArthur has sold her prized London 2012 Olympic torch raising thousands of pounds for charity.
She carried the torch through East Cowes during the Isle of Wight stage of the Olympic Torch Relay, cheered on by thousands of people.
Dame Ellen decided to auction off the torch to raise cash for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, a charity dedicated to helping young people with cancer.
The torch was sold on the website eBay and bidding finished yesterday (Monday) reaching £6,400, bid by a mainland sports memorabilia collector.
Frank Fletcher, of the Ellen MacArthur Trust, said the money would pay for up to 13 youngsters with cancer to go sailing.
"Ellen and everyone at the trust is absolutely delighted," he said.
Reporter: ross.findon@iwcp.co.uk