London, Nov 8 (IANS): The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) confirmed Monday that 1,018 villages, towns and cities in Britain will be on the route of the torch relay.

This means that LOCOG has realised the aspiration of taking the Olympic flame to within an hour's journey time of 95 percent of the population. In fact, over 95 percent of the population will be within just 10 miles (16 km) of the Olympic flame next summer, reported Xinhua.

Not only does the route include villages, town and cities, the Olympic torch relay will also take in hundreds of landmarks.

LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe said: "I'm delighted that the Olympic torch relay will take the 2012 Games at almost every corner of the UK and that we have achieved our ambition to take the flame to within an hour's journey of 95 percent of the population. Now everyone is invited to plan their welcome and find out where they can go to be part of this historic occasion. The Olympic Games are coming to you as the Olympic flame gives our people and places their moment to shine."

The Olympic flame will arrive into Britain from Greece on May 18, 2012 then begin a 70-day journey starting at Land's End, Cornwall on the morning of May 19, 2012.

The Olympic flame will travel an estimated 8,000 miles around, carried by 8,000 torchbearers.