Primary and secondary schools across Hyndburn are preparing for the biggest multi sports programme the borough has hosted as a build-up to the Olympic Games.

The Hyndburn Olympiad 2004 will involve more than 30 primary schools and the borough's six secondary schools in an event that will run over three months.

A total of 1700 young athletes aged between eight and 16 will take part in the Games which will include seven different sports at five venues.

Organisers say the Hyndburn Olympiad is twice as big as the Commonwealth Games event the borough staged two years ago.

Every school -- including Moderate Learning Difficulties and Severe Learning Difficulties schools -- have adopted the name of a country.

The event, which will kick off with a flag waving ceremony at Hyndburn Sports Centre, will also include national anthems after each discipline and commemorative medals -- as long as organisers can find a sponsor.

The games have been organised by Hyndburn Council's sport and community development team with the help of several agencies in the borough, including the recently formed Hyndburn School Sports Network.

Lee Boyer, sports and community development officer, said: "We want the event to be as authentic as possible. All the schools will be wearing the colours of their adopted country and there will be flags and national anthems.

"This is the biggest schools sporting event we have held in the borough and it comes after the success of the Commonwealth Games theme we hosted two years ago.

"We had a lot of encouraging feedback from that event so we decided to make this one bigger and better."

School teams will compete in sports hall athletics, kwik cricket, girls football, rugby league, mini basketball, hockey and outdoor athletics. Lee is hoping to attract a prominent star from each event to attend for their relevant sport.

Pupils have been taking part in a series of taster sessions for the games, which begins on March 8, while Lee is hoping the event will encourage more children to take up sport.

Anyone who would like to sponsor the Hyndburn Olympiad medals should contact Lee Boyer on 01254 380286.