ENGLAND’S Commonwealth Games team have provided some welcome relief to the crisis- hit event in New Delhi by announcing the first competitors will fly out as planned today despite serious concerns remaining over safety and conditions.

Sir Andrew Foster, chairman of Commonwealth Games England (CGE), warned however that the “ultimate option” remained pulling out and some other team members could yet have their departures delayed.

Preparations for the Games have descended into chaos with the latest problem being the collapse of part of a ceiling in the weightlifting arena.

The Scotland team have delayed their departure while Wales are demanding safety guarantees following the latest incident and Tuesday’s bridge collapse, with conditions in the athletes’ village having been described as potentially dangerous.

Despite the concerns, the first group of 22 English participants, members of the men’s hockey and bowls teams, will fly out from England today and arrive in the Indian capital tomorrow.

A statement from CGE said: “England continues to confirm its participation in the Commonwealth Games.” But Foster added: “The residential accommodation is still some way short of what we need and require.

“We need to have an assurance from our people in Delhi that they bring it up to the standards that are required.

“We also need to have people in India give an absolutely clear statement about the status of the different stadiums.

“These are the requirements that we have for our team to compete.”

A final decision would have to be made one way or another “in the next few days”.

Foster added: “All options remain open, but at the moment we are still intent on going. The ultimate option is we do not go. We are not there yet.

“Our colleagues in Scotland have delayed some of the flights of their people going out, that is one of the other options.”

British triple jumper Phillips Idowu has already said that he will not go to the Games because of safety fears and Foster said it was likely others may follow suit.

Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Michael Cavanagh said they would not take a unilateral decision to withdraw from the Games.

“We have no intention of pulling out right now,” he said. “If something like that happens it will be a collective decision and we’re looking for leadership from the Commonwealth Games Federation.”