Plea for Special Olympic helpers

THE organisers of the Special Olympics in Ireland yesterday appealed to businesses and ordinary people to help them stage the biggest sporting event in Belfast this year.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern joined organisers at a special ceremony in Belfast Waterfront Hall to herald the £1.7 million (€2.5m) national games in Belfast this June.

Belfast’s Odyssey Complex will host an opening ceremony involving 2,000athletes with learning disabilities, their families and around 500 coaches.