MORE than 700 people took part in the first-ever Worcester Community Games to prove that the city really has been bitten by the Olympic sporting bug.

Hours before the London 2012 Olympics opened in grand fashion, families took to the King George V playing fields, Brickfields, for the day which was organised by Worcester City Council , Worcester Community Trust and the Safer Worcestershire Partnership.

The event offered football, tag rugby, tennis, frisbee, badminton and archery, as well as face-painting, flag-making and other craft activities.

Jude Langton, community safety manager at the city council, said: “We were really pleased with the event. The weather was great and there were smiles on everyone’s faces.

“We deliberately held our community games on the same day as the Olympic opening ceremony to get people excited and give them a chance to participate in their own neighbourhood.”

Another 15 community games will be run by the city council in the week beginning Monday, August 20.

For more information, go to worcester.gov.uk/sportsdevelopment and click on the summer programme/holiday activities link.

To set up your own community games, call Hannah Cox on 01905 721164.