The number of people working on the construction of the Olympic Park and Athletes' Village has reached 12,635 as the 'big build' nears completion.

As well as the economic legacy that is being created for people and companies working on the Park and Village, thousands more people across the UK are gaining employment and training helping to deliver the venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games.

Twenty-five per cent of the current workforce live in the five Host Boroughs – the London boroughs nearest the Olympic Park (Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Greenwich) and more than 60% live in London.

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Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive Dennis Hone said: "The Olympic Park and Village is being delivered on track and within budget by a dedicated and hard working team in London supported by thousands more people working for sub-contractors and suppliers up and down the country.

"The site and supplier workforce have done us proud, completing construction on the Olympic Stadium and Velodrome and being on track to finish all the main venues and infrastructure this summer ready for Test Events ahead of the Games.

"Alongside the immediate economic legacy of providing work, contracts and a showcase for the work of UK plc, the 'big build' has supported long-term career development for people living close to the Olympic Park, previously unemployed people and apprentices."

Programmes set up to maximise the 'big build' employment legacy have helped more than 1,400 previously unemployed local people gain work on the Park, delivered more than 3,400 places training people for work on the Park and other construction sites and enabled 426 apprentices to work on the project.

(CD/GK)