NEW figures show the cost of hosting the Olympic Torch relay in Dorset set back councils more than £180,000.

Dorset County Council spent £40,000 while Bournemouth council spent £93,000 and Poole's expenses came to £50,947.

The figures were released on the first anniversary of the start of the Olympic torch relay last year when the flame arrived in Cornwall.

Crowds lined the streets despite heavy rain as the iconic torch later made its way through Dorset in July.

The money has been hailed as well spent in Dorset.

Olympic torch bearer Tim Ellis, who ran through Dorchester, said: “I think we did very well for that. It was incredible value.”

The new figures, obtained by the Press Association, found that on average, authorities paid out just over £40,000 to host the flame.

Money went on funding items such as security and street furniture, as well as road-closure notices and evening celebrations.

The biggest spends were in the London boroughs of Bexley and Waltham Forest, who both forked out in excess of £279,000, while more than a dozen other authorities recorded six-figure sums to host the Torch.

County council leader Spencer Flower said that Dorset played its part in a fantastic event.

He said: “The key thing is, how often does the Olympics come to this country? We should be proud of our Olympic legacy.”