THERE are just 1,430 days until the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games - and already Bexley is preparing.

On Sunday, as London Mayor Boris Johnson was handed the official Olympic flag, Bexley was raising the 2012 flag outside the civic offices to mark the start of the countdown.

The handover of the Olympics to London will also be marked by an inter-borough disability sports day on September 17 with a Paralympics theme, and the launch at the end of September of the Cultural Olympiad.

This will be celebrated at Bexleyheath's Central library in Townley Road, with events and arts workshops.

The borough is hoping to be selected for two pre-Games training camps, at Erith Leisure Centre with its David Ives Stadium, and Mount Mascal and Shannon Leigh Stables in Bexley.

Themed packs have been provided by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games to every Bexley school to get young people involved in the Games.

And a new borough-wide gifted and talented programme will be launched shortly.

Together with the new multi-skills academies and a revamped free Access for National Sports People at the borough's leisure centres, it hopes to identify Bexley's talented sporting youngsters and enhance their chances of competing in 2012.

An Olympic strategy and action plan for the borough and its involvement with the Games will go to public consultation later this year.