Olympics minister visits the East

Sports people and firms in the East of England have been told to claim a share of £8bn worth of business being generated by the 2012 London Olympics.

Minister for sport, Tessa Jowell, spoke to representatives from Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk at Norwich City Football Club ground.

The minister said: "I want every region to make the most of a once in a lifetime opportunity."

She sees a 3% a year increase of sports tourists between 2009 and 2015.

Two Olympic venues are in the Eastern region - Hadleigh Farm in Essex will host the mountain biking and the canoeing will be held at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.

Ms Jowell added: "With five sports facilities in Norfolk meeting the tough criteria set for inclusion in the official guide to pre-games training camps for 2012, the county has a real chance to experience the spirit of the games right on its doorstep."

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Department of Culture, Media and Sport
London Olympics 2012
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites