Awards 'should include volunteers'

Volunteers who helped at the London Olympics should be honoured in a new category in this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition, an MP has said.

The efforts of thousands of so-called Games makers put the "heart" into the event, according to SNP MP Pete Wishart.

In a letter to BBC director general Mark Thompson, the North Perthshire politician wrote: "While admittedly 70,000 people would be a tight squeeze in the BBC Sports Personality studio, every single one of the volunteers deserve recognition for their collective achievement in making the Games such a sporting success.

"With such a wealth of sporting talent to choose from this year, the BBC should consider increasing the number of awards on the table to allow both athletes and volunteers to get the recognition they deserve. I can think of no worthier winner for a team achievement award for 2012 than the Games makers of the London Olympics 2012."

Mr Wishart praised the success of athletes Sir Chris Hoy, Philip Hindes and Jason Kenny among others.

"Scotland is rightly proud of its athletes who won a record-breaking number of medals, and the record number of 55 Scots who were in the team," he said.

"Their success, and that of their colleagues in Team GB, has been phenomenal.

"This was an Olympic Games with heart and that's thanks in large part to the warmth, enthusiasm and energy of the thousands of people who put their heart into making it an unforgettable experience for everyone."