BRITAIN'S greatest Olympians arrived in East Lancashire to promote the 2012 event and told local people to make the most of the Games.

Lord Sebastian Coe and Daley Thompson joined sports minister Richard Caborn for a whistle-stop trip to Blackburn and Darwen yesterday as part of a nationwide roadshow.

During their visit they stopped outside Blackburn town hall and called at Darwen Leisure Centre, which is set for a £9million revamp.

When asked how the Olympics affected people in East Lancashire Lord Coe, an Olympic gold medal-winning middle-distance runner and the chairman of the London organising committee, said "My standard answer to that is do you have children?"

He said the whole spirit of the Olympics was to encourage more youngsters into sport, and the roadshow was part of that.

"You will get whatever you want to get out of it," he added.

"There are six years for you to figure out what you want to do with it."

Daley Thompson, a gold medal-winning decathlete, added: "It's great going around seeing enthusiastic people.

"So many people are trying to find out how they can be part of it."

He said 70,000 to 80,000 volunteers would be needed to help with the Games and they would mostly come from the UK regions.

"The whole thing about this is it's an opportunity to be part of it, whether you come and watch, actively participate, or supply some of the services.

"Even though the Games are only on for three weeks, if we get it right you can have an impact for 10 or 15 years."

Mr Caborn said winning the Olympics had put sport and using it to deal with issues like childhood obesity firmly on the political and national agenda.

"Five years ago one third of children got two hours of sport a week, now that is 75 per cent," he said.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: "Of course I would have preferred the games to be coming to Manchester.

"But we have to be realistic; a country our size was only going to get the Olympics in our capital.

"But I promise you in six years time interest in the Olympics will be at fever pitch."

He said there was £5billion worth of contracts up for grabs and East Lancashire firms should benefit.

Luke Marriner, 16, of Tockholes, has been touted as a possible competitor in the 2012 games.

He is ranked in the top eight of Great Britain, and swims the 200 and 400 metres freestyle and the 100m backstroke.

He said: "It's good to see that a lot of people are getting involved in sports, and that they are taking notice of what we are doing."