1,200 extra troops required for Olympics as G4S comes up short

Ministers decided on Tuesday to provide an additional 1,200 troops to aid security at the Olympic Games after embattled security firm G4S failed to provide the amount of staff that it was contracted to.

G4S was originally supposed to provide over 10,000 security personnel for the Games, which officially begins with the opening ceremony on Friday.

The group revealed today that the current number is closer to 5,800, but did say that "significant" numbers of candidates are reaching the final stages of training.

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"The security of the Games is the primary focus and therefore we understand the decision by Ministers to activate the additional contingency resource as a further precaution at this stage of the process," G4S said in a statement.

The company revealed earlier this month that it would not be able to ensure the size the workforce that it had agreed to, prompting the military to plug the gap with an initial 3,500 troops. Now, a further 1,200 troops who were previously put on standby will now be released for deployment.

"We are grateful to the military for their support in securing the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will continue to work with them and LOCOG to ensure that the Games are safe and secure," G4S said.

Despite the extra troops required, G4S said that overall losses to be incurred on the contract will remain within £35-50m range, as stated last week.

BC