A Helston schoolgirl will join David Beckham in bringing the Olympic flame from Greece to Cornwall on Friday evening.

Georgia Higgs, 15, who attends Helston Community College and plays for the Falmouth Ladies hockey team, has also represented Cornwall at Badminton.

She is one of five young sport ambassadors chosen to accompany the former England captain.

She said: "I have always loved participating in numerous sports, so to be given the opportunity to partake in the world’s greatest sporting event is just incredible.

"I'm so proud to be part of this experience and to bring the Flame back to Britain, as well as my home county of Cornwall, is utterly amazing. I know it will be something I will always remember!"

The sporty youngsters have been invited by London 2012 and the British Council as a reward for their commitment to sport and for promoting the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect within their school or college.

Georgia has been helping to organise a local primary school festival inspired by the London 2012 Games and including an opening ceremony.

Her headteacher, Dr Pat McGovern, said: "Helston Community College was delighted and honoured to have been chosen to accompany the Olympic Flame on its journey to the United Kingdom.

"Sport is an essential part of a young person’s development, and plays a central role in the curriculum of our College.

"We have been eagerly waiting for the Olympic Games to arrive, and have benefited enormously from being part of the Get Set Network.

"I have no doubt that the London Olympic Games will leave a legacy of which we can all be proud and will provide memories which will last forever."

Georgia, David Beckham, and the rest of the party will head to Athens for Friday’s official handover ceremony of the Olympic flame from Greece to the UK, and bring it back to RNAS Culdrose ahead of the torch relay, which begins at Land’s End on Saturday morning.

Organiser Lord Coe said: “We wanted to involve young people from across the UK in bringing home the Olympic Flame.

“Their stories of personal achievement and contribution to sport echo the 8,000 inspiring torchbearer stories that will be shared from this weekend and over the next 10 weeks in the build-up to the start of the Games.”