Thousands of sports fans heading to London to watch or participate in three of the biggest sporting events of the calendar year could be affected by the part closure of the M1.

As London plays host to two FA Cup semi-finals and the London Marathon, the M1 remains partially closed due to a fire which broke out in a scrapyard on Friday.

Junctions one to four are closed between Brent Cross and Elstree, which has caused huge traffic build up and chaos on the roads.

The were no reported injuries as a result of the fire, which involved gas cylinders, but 50 local residents were evacuated as a safety measure.

Football fans en route to the semi-cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United have been advised to find alternative means of travel. A second FA Cup semi final between Bolton Wanders and Stoke City will take place tomorrow at Wembley Stadium.

Meanwhile the London Marathon is set to take place tomorrow, with 36, 000 runners expected to participate, while thousands will flock to the streets to watch the highly anticipated race. Transport for London has vowed to ‘keep London running’, according to reports.

The £600 billion a year sport tourism market is thought to be the most rapidly growing sector in the travel and tourism industry.

Sport Tourism Expo, WSDE is a b-2-b exhibition dedicated to showcasing this growing market. Now in its 2nd year, WSDE will take place in Bangkok, Thailand - Asia’s Sport Tourism Gateway - from 27th – 29th September 2011.