TICKETS for the Commonwealth Games are changing hands for more than double their face value, it has emerged.

Dozens of people are offering tickets for some of the most popular sporting events on an internet auction website.

Bids are being taken for seats at the sell-out athletics events and there are also a number of tickets available for the opening and closing ceremonies.

A group of four tickets for the athletics on Saturday July 27, which includes the men's 100 metre finals, has received a bid of £205. The tickets had a face value of just £25 each.

A pair of tickets for the athletics finals are being offered for £200.

The Bolton based badminton finals are also attracting people prepared to pay over the odds for a seat in the sell out arena.

One pair of tickets, officially priced at £15 each was selling for £40. And with the Games just 10 days away, people desperate to be at the main events are likely to be prepared to pay even more to secure a seat.

Jason Harborow, head of the Games commercial department, said he was aware of the situation.

He said: "I intend to contact the site's managers but that is as much as I can say at the moment.

"Our main concern is the possibility of counterfeit tickets but there appears to be no suggestion that the tickets on sale on E-Bay are of that sort.

"I would always urge people to buy tickets from official channels. There are still many seats available."

The Commonwealth Games is attracting increasing interest amongst sport fans ahead of its opening on July 25. Athletes from across the Commonwealth's 72 nations have begun to arrive in Greater Manchester.

Members of the Canadian gymnastics squad flew into Manchester Airport yesterday and the Australian athletics team are due later in the week.

The sportsmen and women are familiarising themselves with state-of-the-art venues including Bolton Arena, host of badminton, and the City of Manchester Stadium.

Official tickets sales for the Commonwealth Games, which run from July 25 to August 4, have already smashed all previous records for the event.

But some events, such as cycling at Rivington, are free and others cost from as little as £5.

Tickets for events which have not sold out can be purchased from the official box office on 0870 162 2002 or on-line at commonwealthgames.com.