GREATER Manchester must put on a Commonwealth Games to rival the Olympics in Sydney.

That was the view of Brian Stocks, the Games' director of sport, who claimed Britain's proposed 2012 Olympic bid could collapse if there were problems next year.

Mr Stocks said the eyes of the world would be on Greater Manchester, with critics ready to pull the event to pieces.

He urged thousands of volunteers in Bolton to come forward in a bid to top the Australian success last year.

The Australians were highly praised by the world's sporting bodies for their hosting of the Olympic Games, just four years after the disastrous organisation of the event in Atlanta.

The Commonwealth Games will be smaller than the Olympics, but Mr Stocks believes it will face the same problems.

He said: "There were huge numbers of volunteers in Sydney and that's the approach we wish to emulate.

"Sydney has raised the expectations of the Commonwealth Games and we are trying to gear ourselves up for that. The stakes are definitely higher."

Volunteers in Sydney were praised by Mr Stocks for being well briefed on the venues and facilities.

He said: "They were able to direct visitors and athletes around the city with ease -- a situation I want to emulate.

"A lot will rest on Manchester next year. We have to seize this opportunity and get it right."

The director visited Bolton Arena where the British Olympic Association's Athlete Commission gathered for its annual meeting.

Athletes who witnessed the haphazard organisation of the Atlanta games agreed with Mr Stocks' sentiments.

Guin Batten, chairman of the Athlete Commission, said: "There was a breakdown in communication in Atlanta.

"In some cases, we had to direct bus drivers to venues."

The Games' village will house 4,800 people in the halls of residence of Manchester University at Fallowfield.

The site will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities including a cinema and recreation rooms.

Ms Batten called on organisers of the 10-day event to fully brief competitors on the areas to avoid.

Michelle Pryde, overseeing the venue, said: "I would discourage athletes from going around the immediate area.

"We had problems at the Atlanta Olympics when we were not told what areas to avoid.

"We wouldn't want to see a repeat of that in Manchester and would expect tight security."

The village is three miles away from Manchester city centre and will be patrolled by security guards.

There will be enough facilities to ensure that athletes could, if required, stay on site throughout the event.

Mrs Pryde said: "Manchester is no worse than any other city in Britain, but there are obviously areas to avoid and these will be pointed out.

"I wouldn't say the area in which the athletes are staying is a bad area.

"There's just a couple of seedy bits around and we have accounted for them in our security arrangements."

Around a dozen athletes involved in the commission turned up for the meeting including Bolton's top badminton player Chris Hunt.

They were taken on a tour of the Games' venues including Bolton Arena, the City of Manchester Stadium and the Velodrome.