THE former council boss who helped Glasgow win the Commonwealth Games bid said 2014 organisers pulled the plug on the Red Road blow down plans "at the right time".

Steven Purcell, who led the city to win the bid in 2008, said the decision to axe the proposals saved the Games from being "overshadowed" by the controversy.

The 41-year-old said: "The organisers of the Games have made a very sensible decision at the right time.

"It became quite obvious straight away when the announcement on Red Road was made that they would have to change their minds.

"Maybe that was down to the way it was communicated - we didn't understand the context and it wasn't explained.

"If you fast forward to the opening ceremony and the Red Road demolition was going ahead then that would have clearly overshadowed the whole Commonwealth Games."

The chief executive of Glasgow 2014, David Grevemberg, said on Sunday the plan to demolish five of the remaining six tower blocks at Red Road as part of the July 23 opening ceremony would not be going ahead.

The U-turn came after the Game's security director Deputy Chief Constable Steve Allen asked organisers to reconsider because the massive opposition to the demolition created more risks.

Mr Purcell, who resigned from his post in 2010, said the Games partners and organisers now needed to look at involving all of Glasgow's communities to help ensure the event is a success. He said "The whole point in the opening ceremony and the Games is to bring the city together."