Work 'starts now' for 2014 Games

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The hard work is now getting under way after Glasgow won the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, according to the city's bid director.

Derek Casey said those who had brought the event to Scotland now had to "put the meat on the bones" and deliver the games in seven years' time.

Glasgow beat Nigerian capital Abuja by 47 votes to 24 in the contest for the right to host the event.

The decision sparked celebrations across the Scottish city.

The next stage will very much be putting the meat on the bones of the planning that we have done over the last two years Derek CaseyBid director <a class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7086680.stm">Glasgow starts the party</a> <a class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7087222.stm">In pictures: Bid success </a>

Those behind the bid - which brought together the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland - were hailed for their achievement.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the announcement as "great news for Glasgow, great news for Scotland, great news for Britain".

He also congratulated Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell, who he said had "really pushed this through the Scottish administration".

Mr Purcell said: "We said we were coming here to win gold for Glasgow - and that's just what we have done.

"The 2014 Commonwealth Games will create a lasting legacy for Glasgow, both economically and socially. The games will change the city, and change people's lives.

First Minister Alex Salmond hugs Louise Martin in Sri Lanka

"The next 100 days will be spent putting in place the detailed plans and structures that will help deliver an outstanding Commonwealth Games for athletes, for spectators and for Scotland."

Mr Casey, the bid director, said all three partners had done a "fantastic job".

"It has been hard over the last two years," he told BBC Scotland after the announcement.

"I didn't expect it to be quite so hard, in terms of the amount of travelling and work - but in some respects the hard work starts tonight (Friday) and tomorrow morning."

He said the next step would be to set up the organising committee which had been lying dormant waiting on the decision.

<a href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_eastenders0_glasgow_2014_dream/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_eastenders0_glasgow_2014_dream/html/1.stm', '1194630356', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;"></a>Glaswegians celebrate Games win in east end leisure centre<a href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_eastenders0_glasgow_2014_dream/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_eastenders0_glasgow_2014_dream/html/1.stm', '1194630356', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >In pictures</a>

"The next stage will very much be putting the meat on the bones of the planning that we have done over the last two years, leading up to the actual delivery of the games in seven years' time."

It has been estimated that it will cost the city £288m to stage the sporting event, with most of the funding coming from the Scottish Government.

Mike Fennell, the president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said Glasgow had mounted a "very, very fine bid".

Louise Martin, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, said the secret to their success had been "hard work and a really, really good team".

"This has been team work," she added.

"People said when we started that we were stupid to work in a three partnership way, but we proved them all wrong and gelled into one team."