Family fun day set to welcome Queen's Relay Baton

The free family fun day is being held at The Waterfront on Sunday as part of the celebrations and will feature live entertainment, dancers, jugglers, stilt walkers, a cycling skills track and food from Digbeth Dining Club from 12pm to 8pm.

The baton is expected to arrive at the canalside complex near Merry Hill at around 6.45pm as the final one of a number of stop-offs across the borough during the day.

The last carrier of the baton in the borough will be Brierley Hill’s Lions Amateur Boxing Club coach Kevin Dillon, who will take it on its journey into The Waterfront.

It will then depart by barge along the famous Dudley No.1 Canal, ready to begin the next stage of its journey to the opening ceremony on Thursday, July 28.

As well as coaching hundreds of youngsters at the boxing club, Kevin is also a key figure behind the podcast Black Country Blokes.

It focuses on mental health issues for men and the group has a regular show on Black Country Radio Xtra, based at The Waterfront.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of the council, said: "We’re delighted that Dudley borough is one of the final destinations for the Queen’s Baton before it arrives in Birmingham next week for the start of the Games.

"The excitement is really starting to build now and we want as many people as possible to get involved.

"We’ll have loads going on down at The Waterfront - as well as at all of the other locations across the borough - and I would urge people to go along and celebrate what is probably a once in a lifetime event."

Kevin Dillon, head coach at Lions Amateur Boxing Club, said: "It will be a huge honour to be the last person to carry the baton in my hometown before it goes off on its way to Birmingham for the start of the Games.

"I can’t wait and hope as many people as possible will come out and support the event."

For more information about the baton relay and other Dudley events around the Commonwealth Games, go to dudley.gov.uk/things-to-do/commonwealth-games/