WORDS penned by a North-East poet in celebration of London 2012 have been immortalised at the Olympic Park.

Ian Horn, from Shotton Colliery, County Durham, was chosen as one of the National Lottery’s ‘12 Poets of 2012’ who were jointly commissioned to write a poem to mark the Games.

The finished work was displayed on nine “totems” erected in the Olympic Park during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Mr Horn, who previously penned Ironopolis for the £200m Middlehaven development, in Middlesbrough, and has been involved with Durham’s Colpitts Poetry group, recently visited the Park to see his work on display.

It was read out by Alan Dedicoat, the National Lottery’s “voice of the balls”.
To inspire the 12 poets, they were allowed to spend time with athletes in training for the Olympics and Paralympics.

Mr Horn met Paralympic sprinter Hazel Robson, from Sunderland.

He said: “The whole experience has been amazing.
“Hearing the poem which I helped write being read out on the Olympic Park and knowing that so many people from around the world will have heard it too – it really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Hazel made me see just how much dedication and sacrifice it takes to become an Olympian and I hope that this shines through in the poem.”

Ms Robson, who has cerebral palsy, finished seventh in Saturday’s 100m final and fifth in last week’s 200m final. Previously, she won gold in Sydney, two silvers in Athens and a bronze in Beijing.