Campsite offers 'greenest' Olympics B&B

An Olympic campsite has been set up so sports fans on a tight budget will be able to sleep in a tent during the 2012 Games.

Pitching a tent on the site will cost £6 a night for adults and £3 for children. Families will pay a maximum of £17.50.

The site at Debden House in Loughton, Essex, is a 20-minute coach journey from the Olympic stadium. Bookable online, it has room for up to 1,000 campers.

Newham council is urging people to choose the "greener accommodation".

Families, backpackers and business people will all be catered for and the council says there will be conference facilities, food and wi-fi for Games updates.

The site, a 50-acre slice of Epping Forest, is already open to campers, but is being offered as "a cheaper and more eco-friendly" alternative to an hotel in the run-up to the Games.

Newham council spokesman Eden Black said: "Families will be able to save hundreds of poundspeople will be able to cycle to the Games if they want.

"You can bring your own food to the site, too, if you want and we also have huge fire pits for barbecues."

Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: "We are investing £24million in borough-wide and priority projects over the next three years."