A RECORD number of volunteers have signed up to be part of Glasgow 2014.

A total of 50,811 people responded to the call – more than the volunteer applic-ations for the Melbourne 2006 and Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games combined.

Melbourne 2006 received 25,456 applications and Manchester 2002 got 22,346.

Organisers have said they are "thrilled" at the numbers – with Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg adding: "A big thank you to all the Evening Times readers who have supported the campaign – we couldn't have done it without you!"

People from every local authority across the country have applied, with early indications showing applications from across the UK and abroad.

Nearly two thirds of the potential volunteers are women, with men making up 39%. Young people, aged between 16 and 25, make up 38% of the total.

Glasgow 2014 is one of the first major sporting events to have an entry point of aged 16 at application and figures also show that 18% of applicants are aged between 16 and 18.

Mr Grevemberg said: "We are absolutely delighted with the numbers and want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the campaign.

"All those who have applied are already helping Glasgow 2014 make history."

Applications to volunteer opened on January 14, with more than 10,000 people signing up on the first day. Today, organisers were beginning to sift through the entry forms before selecting 25,000 people for interview.

Starting next month, interviews will take place, at the rate of around 1000 a week and will continue until December.

The first roles will be offered in October, and offers will continue until Games time.

Valerie Mitchell, head of Games Workforce at Glasgow 2014, said: "We are thrilled with the level of interest and to have such a great mix of people apply to be part of the Games.

"We are also really over the moon at the response from young people.

"Their contribution in creating a tone and feel for the Games will be really important. With these large numbers there will obviously be people who are not successful but there will be plenty more ways for them to get involved in the Games by getting their families along to venues, supporting the cultural programme and Queen's Baton Relay.

"Post-games we will also share our volunteer information with Volunteer Scotland as we want to ensure that people who are interested in volunteering have access to other opportunities."

Glasgow will play host to 4500 athletes during the Games, which will be held from July 23, to August 3, next year.

Up to 15,000 volunteers will carry out tasks from offering directions to crowds at venues to providing medical attention to injured athletes.

Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison said: "It is fantastic that so many people, from all over the UK and beyond, want to be at the heart of the Commonwealth Games, the biggest sporting and cultural event ever seen in Scotland."

A £500,000 Legacy 2014 Volunteer Support Prog-ramme is available to support people who face practical or financial barriers to volun-teering at the Games.

Councillor Archie Graham, executive member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said: "To have the highest ever number of applications to volunteer shows how enthusiastic people are about the Games."

Now the recruitment drive is complete and the team is gearing up for the first interviews. General manager for volunteer recruitment Neil Campion said: "For mass recruitment on this scale, we have to make sure that it is fair and consistent and people get the communication that they need – so they know when to turn up for interviews, they know what is expected of them."

matty.sutton@ eveningtimes.co.uk

IT'S now full steam ahead for Glasgow in its bid to recruit Games volunteers after a mammoth 50,000 applications were made to be part of the 2014 extravaganza. MATTY SUTTON talks to the organisers of the event as the task of sifting through the applications begins