By Andy Schooler, Sportinglife.com

The talk of the town in Edmonton was the British press who have managed to offend people outside their home country this time.

The local daily tabloid, the Edmonton Sun, had the headline Brit Snit plastered across its front page, a reference to comments made about the city in the Daily Telegraph.

One writer had referred to Edmonton as Deadmonton, saying it lacked things for visitors to see and do.

Even new world champion Jonathan Edwards said the British team’s hotel complex as 'like living on a service station on the M1' due to its location on the main highway to Calgary.

Admittedly Edmonton does seem a quiet city, certainly when compared to the cities back in Britain.

But is that really a bad thing. People can make their own entertainment.

Here the relative quietness is part of the charm. The lack of traffic, the prominence of greenery and friendliness of the people all more than make up for any lack of atmosphere.

The British hacks should remember the Canadians have to come to Manchester next year for the Commonwealth Games.

As a writer in Edmonton’s own broadsheet, the Journal, put it: "We can’t force them to have fun.

"If they want to hole up in their hotels, explore their own TV remotes and dream of overcooked vegetables, warm beer and that elusive invite to their boss’s private club, that is their business."

Not a bad riposte, I felt.

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Attendances have not been the best in the Commonwealth Stadium for these championships, although that is no great surprise.

However, it was surprising to see the way one of the organising committee’s sponsors was trying to attract people to watch Sunday’s women’s marathon.

They have taken out an advert in a local paper, urging townsfolk to come out and support Canadian athlete Sandy Jacobsen.