China's 'flame Attendants' and World's Most Guarded Relay

One of the features of the Olympic torch relay as it passed through London yesterday was the phalanx of Chinese "flame attendants" wearing matching blue tracksuits that accompanied the flame every step of the way from Wembley to the O2 arena.

Officially, the attendants' role is to ensure the safe handover of the torch between runners and to ensure that it remains lit throughout the relay. Initially, organizers said that between three and six attendants would be used, but more than a dozen surrounded the torch on the streets of London yesterday. They formed part of a huge security presence around the torch and a last line of defence - and were called into action at least once, when a protester attempted to grab the flame from TV presenter Konnie Huq.

The attendants are part of the official delegation from the Beijing Olympic organizing committee that travels with the torch around the world and are thought to have been recruited from the Chinese security services. At least three attendants are with the flame at all times on its way to Beijing - including overnight, when one guard has to remain awake.

A rolling team of more than 20 was used yesterday, equipped with earpieces and microphones, and they never strayed more than a few yards from the torch, even when it arrived in Downing Street.

To the annoyance of photographers, they initially stood in front of Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell, and then intervened when heptathlete Denise Lewis attempted to pass on the torch directly to paralympic power lifter Ali Jawad.

The Metropolitan police and the Chinese embassy have declined to discuss who employs the attendants or their diplomatic status, but the Metropolitan police commander Bob Broadhurst stressed before the event that they have no executive power while in the UK.

A spokesman for the Chinese embassy said he was not sure who was responsible for the attendants.