AMIR Khan helped launch the world's longest relay when he was handed the 2006 Commonwealth Games baton.

The Heaton boxer and Olympic sliver medallist was one of a number of stars at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

The Queen handed the baton to Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson who passed it to Australian track star Cathy Freeman. Dame Kelly Holmes took up the baton at Clarence House, home of the Prince of Wales, and handed it to Amir Khan further along The Mall.

Moments before, the Queen had inserted an electronic chip into the hi-tech baton which contains her message to the athletes who will compete at the Games in Melbourne next March.

Thousands of runners will carry the baton for more than 110,000 miles through all 71 nations of the Commonwealth.

Monday was good training for Amir who will don his running shoes and leave his boxing gloves behind to take part in a half marathon on Sunday.

He will be part of a five-man team aiming to finish the race, running alongside more than 4,500 runners. And he has already helped secure £101,000 worth of pledges, all of which will be handed to the Tsunami Appeal Fund. Amir, aged 18, was persuaded to take part in the Wilmslow Half Marathon by friend Nabeel Chowdery, a Wilmslow property developer."

The half marathon will be held at 10.30am on Sunday March 20 from Wilmslow Rugby Club, Wilmslow, Cheshire and the entry list is already full.