This year's Olympic Games in London has already benefited the East Midlands to the tune of £390million, according to Jonathan Edwards.

The board member for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and former triple-jump hero was talking exclusively to the Lincolnshire Echo as the final countdown to the Games started, writes John Pakey.

There are just over 30 weeks before the sporting spectacular gets underway in London, and Edwards is keen to stress that Lincolnshire has a part to play.

"In my position as deputy chair for the nations and regions for LOCOG, I hear a lot of people talking and saying it is all about London. What is in it for us? The big winner for the country has been the business side of it as that has affected the whole of the UK," said Edwards.

"Around the East Midlands £390m has been given out in direct contracts, so for me the first message is that people are benefiting financially from this."

Edwards admitted the excitement for the London Games has dampened since they were awarded to the British capital in 2005.

However, he is confident when the Olympic torch relay heads through the county, Lincolnshire will feel the buzz again.

"It might appear to people that at the moment the Games are a distant event," explained Edwards.

"But when the torch relay comes through places in Lincolnshire, when it goes to all the villages, then it will really hit home.

"It starts on May 19 when it leaves Lands' End and then people will start to get excited."

For the full interview with Jonathan Edwards and to find out how to keep up to speed with the county’s stars at the London Games, see this week's Lincolnshire Echo.