Olympic torch bearer Rahul Patel raises money for charity at the Thomas Neale pub

A shop owner who carried the Olympic flame popped into a pub in Shadwell with his Olympic torch to help raise money for charity.

Rahul Patel, 22, who owns Fielding News newsagent in Watney Market, brought his torch along to the nearby Thomas Neale pub last Friday.

In an attempt to attract people to a fund-raising event pub-goers were offered to have their photo taken with Rahul and the torch.

Rahul, who ran with the torch through Kent, said: “It was amazing to share the torch with everyone around here. There were a lot of kids and it was great to watch their faces. It’s probably the only time they’ll get to hold the Olympic torch.”

A £5 for torch pictures went towards processing photos. But more than £100 was raised through a pub raffle for the charity DEBRA helping people with the genetic skin blistering condition Epidermolysis Bullosa.

The charity is close to the heart of pub landlady Kelly Jones, as a young girl in her family suffers from the condition.