Olympic security staff ‘refusing to show up’

More than 20,000 G4S guards have been accredited to provide security for the Olympics but the firm is unable to get them to turn up at venues, it has emerged.

The under-fire firm repeatedly assured ministers it would “overshoot” its recruitment targets and only admitted it would fail last week, British home secretary Theresa May told MPs yesterday.

A further 3,500 troops drafted in to close the gap have now been joined by officers from nine police forces after security staff failed to turn up at venues.