MARK Henton is hoping to follow in his late father’s footsteps by carrying the 2012 Olympic torch.

His dad carried the flame through Dorking in Surrey before the 1948 London Olympics.

And Mark, 36, still has the torch that dad Ted carried in front of 4,000 people through the town’s high street.

He now hopes to replicate the feat – either in Bournemouth or Dorking – to pay tribute to his dad’s work in athletics.

“He spent 50 years inspiring youngsters,” said Mark, a construction worker living in Springbourne.

Mark hopes that he could do it wearing the same style of clothes – a tribute to his dad’s ‘wicked’ sense of humour.

Mark has completed the London Marathon but doesn’t have any athletic connections himself.

His dad was picked because he founded Dorking St Paul Athletic Club.

The torch relay begins on 19 May 2012 at Land’s End and reaches Bournemouth on Friday, July 13.

The exact route has not been announced but later that month it looks set to pass along the A25 through Dorking.