G4S staff fail to turn up at Olympic football hotel for accreditation

About 180 security staff from G4S did not arrive at a Warwickshire hotel to be accredited for Olympic football.

West Midlands Police Federation said six staff had been to Chesford Grange Hotel - hosting football teams - over the past two days to be accredited.

It follows news that 3,500 troops are to be brought in as security for the Games after contractor G4S said it did not have enough trained security staff.

Police officers will step in until the troops take over.

Steve Grange, from the federation, said: "West Midlands Police along with colleagues from the region - Warwickshire, Staffordshire and West Mercia - are making alternative plans to supply the necessary security to make that venue secure."

'Big and complex'

The teams are playing at the City of Coventry Stadium, which will host 12 Olympic football matches, from 25 July.

G4S was contracted by the London 2012 Organising Committee to supply 10,400 staff out of the 23,700 security staff needed for the Games.

It said it had 4,000 people already working across 100 venues.

But Gerard Coyne, from Unite, said the firm had "failed".

"They've had seven years to prepare for the Olympics, for a two-week event, and they have failed to do that," he said.

"How would it be if we had a major incident in the West Midlands?"

The London 2012 Organising Committee (Locog) said it was not commenting on contractual arrangements with G4S.

In a statement, a spokesman said: "Security for the Games is big and complex but we have the best brains in the security business working on this - Home Office, Metropolitan Police, MoD and world's largest private security business.

"Delivering a safe and secure Games is everyone's number one priority. We do not anticipate an increase in the overall venue security numbers."

G4S did not respond when asked to comment.