Paul Deighton and Sebastian Coe, chief executive and chairman respectively of London 2012, both defended the use of the controversial meeting at a public meeting attended by 500 local residents.

 

Many are angry that the Royal Park is being used to stage the equestrian sports, including the eventing, and have lobbied for it to be moved to Windsor Great Park.

 

They fear that the Park will be damaged forever by hosting the events.

 

Deighton tried to allay their fears.

 

He said: "We are making provision so that the park is restored to how it was in the first place.

 

"It is a crucial part of our job to make sure that we get good value for money.''

 

A recent Government-commissioned report by KPMG recommended that the equestrian events stay at Greenwich Park.

 

Coe promised the residents that they would see the benefits of the Park hosting the sport.

 

He said: "We have the opportunity to put this [equestrianism] centre stage.

 

"We have the opportunity of allowing young people who have probably never ever recognised that equestrianism may be for them and to put it in their backyard and not 100,000 miles away as it was in Beijing [when the sport was held in Hong Kong].

 

"We have promised a compact Games.

 

"Compact means that your young local people will experience, as will a tiny fraction of the world's population, in seeing it for themselves.''