It was the biggest volunteer recruitment drive in the UK in peacetime and during the Games, the 10,000-strong Crew 2002, aged between 16 and 87, will put in 1,260,000 hours to ensure the Games run smoothly.

Darren Campbell, Manchester born Olympic silver medallists said: "The work the volunteers are doing is fantastic. They make me proud to be a Mancunian."

Australia' s Hockey captain Katrina Powell added: "In Sydney the volunteers really made the Olympic Games special. Having met many volunteers already here in Manchester, they have already shown they are going to an amazing job as well. They really are the champions."

The Crew 2002 volunteer programme was launched in May 2001 and in just eight months the Volunteer Centre received over 20,000 applications.

Every member of Crew 2002 was invited to a special evening in April to kick-start their training programme followed by extensive venue and job specific training to make sure all members of Crew 2002 were prepared for their individual roles. Every volunteer also received a full set of uniform, including the distinctive flat cap.