ONE of the leading organisers of the London Olympic Games has visited North Yorkshire to find out how the region is preparing for 2012 .

Charles Allen, the chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, Nations and Regions Group, attended events in Scarborough and Dalby Forest, near Pickering, to discuss tourism opportunities and how to get young people involved.

He also saw the new purpose-built mountain biking course in Dalby Forest, which will host a stage of the Mountain Bike World Cup in April.

Mr Allen said: "I am delighted to be here in North Yorkshire seeing the London 2012 Olympic Games coming to life before they actually happen. I’ve seen first hand the benefits to the local area with the development of the course at Dalby Forest that will host the world’s top cyclists next year."

In Scarborough, Mr Allen launched the York and North Yorkshire Cultural Strategy, which aims to capitalise on the economic benefits that London 2012 will bring and inspire and engage people in the region at a meeting of 200 local business people.

On his visit to Dalby Forest, Mr Allen watched local schoolchildren show their skills on the new mountain biking track before launching the Today’s Youth: Tomorrow’s Leaders programme, which will use the 2012 Games to inspire young people to volunteer in sport and in the community.