SPORTS Minister Richard Caborn today congratulated Manchester for holding "one of the best ever" Commonwealth Games.

Mr Caborn praised the host city for putting on the event for an 'affordable' £330 million, compared with an estimated two billion Australian dollars (about £700 million) for the next Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

"When you look at that you can be very proud of the way the Government and Sport England and Manchester has handled these Games," he said.