2012 fever in East Midlands

The venue, which will provide excellent training facilities for 2012 hopefuls, was the first stop for the 2012 Roadshow as it tours the East Midlands today.

Edwards offered encouragement to a huge crowd of children taking part in mini athletics events before declaring the facilities open.

He said: "If there hadn't been a triple-jump pit at school I wouldn't be here with you today. This facility will give that opportunity to many more people."

A variety of music and dance performances added to a superb atmosphere at the event.

Elite athletes and their coaches were the focus of the next stop, Loughborough University, where the Roadshow party toured the High Performance Centre, one of the facilities in the English Institute of Sport network.

Later in the day the Roadshow is visiting Queen's Medical Centre and Pride Park, the home of Derby County FC, for a business event.

11 July 2006