Olympic Games: Your stories

After seven years in the making the London 2012 Olympic Games are now just days away.

Around 10,500 athletes from 203 countries are making their way to London for the <link> <caption>30th Olympic Games.</caption> <url href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/2012/" platform="highweb"/> </link> - they will be joined by 70,000 volunteers, 16,000 caterers and some 8.8m ticket holders at venues across the UK.

Alongside the excitement at the prospect of a fortnight of sporting excellence, the Games are also raising concerns over issues such as transport, security and the financial cost.

BBC News website readers from across the UK have been explaining how they will be affected by the Games.

There seems to be such a negative spin on the Games at the moment, but as someone living a stone's throw from the park, it has been nothing but positive for me.

I have taken part in a five-mile race around the Olympic park, running the last 300m on the track inside the stadium. It was fantastic - just knowing that I have run on the same track where records will be broken.

I am a Games Maker, working behind the scenes in the athletes' village for both Games which is potentially a life-changing experience.

The biggest change for locals has been the improved environment - a change that will last long after the Games. Leyton high street has been transformed and I gave up my car because the transport system is so good.

The moaners and naysayers who complain about the disruption for a couple of months should get a sense of perspective. They should try to engage with the event and try to give something back.

It is by doing that myself that I feel that the whole thing has been so positive to me personally and makes me optimistic for the future.

The Isle of Portland is being put into the spotlight as the biggest Olympic venue outside of London, hosting all of the sailing events.

In the run up to the Olympics, the Aqua has gained more and more business from the Sailing Academy, and have been fortunate to host many sailing clubs, from all over the world, and in particular the French Sailing Federation.

The Olympics have brought a much-needed boost to the local economy during this recession.

Portlanders have had to suffer through major road disruptions during the preparations, but it's now ready and the locals are proud to show Weymouth and Portland to the world.

We expect a post-Olympic legacy, with sailing events continuing to come to Portland, but also other water sports such as kayaking and windsurfing.

Portland is looking good for the future.

You've got the Olympic lanes and all of it has got to be kept clear at all times.

I start doing the night shift, I don't know what time I can use it, or when I can use it.

On the Embankment you have got two lanes. Both lanes have got the Olympic sign on it.

I don't know whether I can use it, or I'll be fined.

I think it is an enormous honour and challenge for London to host these games, and am wholeheartedly supporting it - but there is most definitely a downside to events like this where taxpayers are footing the bill, but private businesses are sufferring for it.

During these very lean economic times, people have a finite amount of money to spend. If they choose to spend it on Olympic-related events, then there is less to go around for other businesses like ours.

At weekends, and during summer holidays, especially when it rains, we can have upwards of 100 customers a day.

As we have seen during the World Cup, we experience a significant drop-off in custom. With the Olympics expecting to draw a much larger viewing audience than an event like the World Cup, we expect to see custom drop-off by as much as 80% of our holidaymakers, and 60-70% of our regular customers.

This is a significant blow to us. During the summer months we rely on holidaymakers to increase our footfall and keep our turnover up as our core business is during the winter.

I'm not looking forward to the Games at all as I'm in the military. We are all annoyed by the fact that the government is saying they will sort out missed holidays and make sure we get our money back.

But the fact is we will get the holiday back but we won't get our money back. I've spent £900 on a fortnight in Turkey at the beginning of August so if I get called up I won't get money back from the MoD or the insurance company.

None of us knows what is going on.

Most of the forces can't wait for it to be over and have the time in the UK with our families.

I'm looking forward to going to London with my brother for athletics on the 8th of August and the finals of the men's beach volleyball on the 9th.

Between the hotel, train tickets and basic Olympic tickets, the trip will cost over £1,000 for two of us - much more than I had anticipated when I applied for the tickets last year.

I have also booked a trip up Big Ben while I'm there and bought tickets to the Orbit Tower at the Olympic park - it should be an intresting few days!

I would say to the people complaining about the Games: they are here, they probably won't be back in our lifetime so therefore we should make the most of it and embrace the Olympic spirit - it's a once in a lifetime experience.

The Olympic flame came to our small town of Pwllheli and brought the biggest crowds I have ever seen.

<italic>Interviews by Alex Emery</italic>