London 2012 unveil Games mascots - News - LIVING SPORT

London 2012 unveil Games mascots

London 2012 organisers have unveiled cartoon animations named Wenlock and Mandeville as the mascots for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Focus groups of children and families helped form the designs and children's author Michael Morpurgo added a story concept for an animated series.

The characters are named after the village of Much Wenlock in Shropshire - which hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th Century - and the birthplace of the Paralympic Games, Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire.

Olympic motifs chime through the design: Wenlock wears the Olympic rings as friendship bracelets, and although predominantly silver in colour, also contains flashes of gold and bronze, while Mandeville's head reflects aspects of the three crescent shapes of the Paralympics symbol.

In a deliberate homage to London taxis, each has a yellow light on top of its head, with an initial in the middle.

They will also be used to front London 2012's Get Set education programme, which will focus in part on the Olympic values.

Both will have their own Facebook and Twitter pages, with an emphasis on interactivity.

To view the animated story of the mascots, visit the London 2012 website, and for the full article visit the BBC Sport website.

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