If the organisers of the 2012 Olympics think they face an uphill struggle preparing London for the games, perhaps they should take a lesson from 1948.
With London still a bombsite, the worst weather of any Olympics and a budget of 拢760,000, the "austerity Olympics" still somehow managed to be a great success. 
Life in post-war Britain was tough. Food and clothing were still rationed and housing was in short supply.听
British athletes were not exempt, relying for sustenance on basic rations and food packages from听the US听and Canada.
The British woman鈥檚 team sewed their own kit and international athletes were housed in hastily done up military convalescence homes.
The only new building for the games was the Olympic Way, constructed by German prisoners of war.
But the public lent a hand getting old buildings up to scratch, the Boy Scouts volunteering to give Wembley stadium a fresh lick of paint.
Amateurism was central to the 1948 games, with one British sportsman disqualified when it was discovered he had previously applied for a job as a sports teacher.
The seven man New Zealand team each had to sign a contract promising to "win without swank and lose without grousing".
Despite some scepticism from the press ahead of the games, the largest crowds yet seen came to see Emil Zatopek and Fanny Blankers鈥揔oen compete.
And according to the official accounts, the games even made a small profit.
Olympic veterans
We spoke to two Olympians who competed in the 1948 games. 
Dorothy Tyler competed in high jump at听the 1936, 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics. She met Hitler and won two silver medals.
"I didn't do anything special, any diet or any special training.... I just picked a spot and ran and jumped."
Frank Turner, captained听the British Gymnastic Team听in 1948.
"My mother sacrificed her portion of meat to me so听I could have the proteins that you need for Olympic gymnastics."
The Austerity Olympics by Janie Hampton is available from听Aurum Press.
