SEBASTIAN Coe and four other senior Olympic officials were in Ely last Thursday to urge people in the region to maximise the opportunities that the 2012 Olympic Games will bring. Lord Coe and his team were at Ely Cathedral on the final stop of the 2012 na

SEBASTIAN Coe and four other senior Olympic officials were in Ely last Thursday to urge people in the region to maximise the opportunities that the 2012 Olympic Games will bring.

Lord Coe and his team were at Ely Cathedral on the final stop of the 2012 national roadshow and called on local business men and women to capitalise on the four to five billion pounds worth of Government contracts available and to reap the rewards of the economic boom from the potential rise in tourism.

He said: "The Olympic Games are not just about London. This road-show is about bringing it out of the capital and sharing the benefits with the country as a whole. People in the east of England have shown tremendous support for the Olympic bid and I would like to urge you to grab the limitless opportunities with both hands."

Lord Coe added: "The business opportunities are not just in building and construction but in a vast range of areas. They are not just for large businesses but for medium and smaller businesses as well."

Lord Coe, who won two Olympic gold medals, was joined by chairman of the Olympic Delivery Agency, David Higgins, chairman of the East of England Development Agency, Richard Ellis, chairman of the 2012 Nations And Regions East and Britain's most successful paralympic swimmer Chris Holmes, who has won nine gold medals. They were all welcomed to the cathedral by Ely choristers.

Mr Holmes spoke of how the 2012 Olympics can be used as a catalyst to create a long-term legacy for the East. He said: "We can create world-class sporting facilities, raise the profile of the area, benefit from tourism and improve in business, communications and infrastructure and not just for three weeks but for the long-term future."

Ely Mayor John Ison said after the event: "It only takes 45 minutes to get from Ely to London so we are very well placed. People need to act now to make the most of the commercial possibilities that the 2012 Olympics will bring as there will be an incredible amount of competition from other towns and cities."

The East of England Development Agency is due to release its Economic Impact Study Report soon.