Mayor Boris thanks Games makers (From Thisisdorset)

Mayor Boris thanks Games makers

12:28pm Monday 13th August 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

More than 3,000 people have come forward to get involved with sport since the beginning of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Mayor Boris Johnson has said.

He said London was committed to ensuring a sporting legacy from the Games - and to providing thousands of jobs and homes.

The Mayor also said crime had dropped in London by about 5% during the 16 day sporting festival.

Mr Johnson thanked those involved in delivering the games, including volunteers, security and transport staff.

Mr Johnson told a press conference in London: "There are a series of exciting global sporting competitions (coming to London) and it is in that context we want to be expanding very vigorously now the number of young people who take part, we want people of all ages to take part in sport.

"We have seen 3,500 applications for people to get involved in sporting activities since the Games began. Kate Hoey, the commissioner for sport, will obviously be taking that forward very actively indeed."

Mr Johnson added: "The Olympic task of thanking people now begins... I want to thank from the city's point of view, the police, the Army, the armed services, who did such a wonderful job... I want to thank the men and women of G4S who worked fantastically hard and helped us deliver very, very safe venues indeed.

"The volunteers, I want to thank again the Team London volunteers, the Locog ambassadors, the TfL (Transport for London) ambassadors, and by the way I want to thank everybody in TfL high and low for an outstanding performance.

"Finally, I want to thank the people of London themselves, particularly because I think it was Londoners' patience and kindness and imagination and enthusiasm that really got the whole thing going and helped us to deliver a great Olympics."

Mr Johnson said the early indications were that London had already benefited economically from the Games and repeated hopes that the gains could ultimately reach £13 billion or more.