LONDON 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton visited North East England to see for himself some of the potential Pre-Games Training Camp venues bidding to host training athletes for the 2012 Games.

Mr Deighton began his visit at Middlesbrough Football Club’s Rockliffe Park Training Ground, where he was given a tour of its facilities by Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb.

Afterwards, he travelled to Hartlepool Marina – also listed in the PGTC guide as a potential Olympic and Paralympic sailing venue, and a host for the Tall Ships Races in 2010 – where he was greeted by the chairman of Hartlepool Borough Council, Coun Carl Richardson.

He was given a tour on board a watercraft before meeting local schoolchildren who are benefiting from a fencing project and participating in the London 2012 education programme Get Set.

Mr Deighton also met with some adult recruits for the Personal Best volunteering programme.

The final visit of the day took him to Hardwick Hall Hotel where he addressed more than 60 businesses at a procurement seminar organised by Business Enterprise North East’s new Compete North East service.

Page 2: Businesses gear up to compete