Research from The Nielsen Company, the global information and media organisation, has revealed that there is a real public appetite for the 2012 Paralympic Games next year with one in three people wanting to know more about Paralympic sport and Paralympians.

There is also a strong belief that the London 2012 Paralympic Games will inspire the general public with one in two people agreeing that the Games will show the world how to treat disabled people with respect and equality and four in ten believing the Games can bring about a breakthrough in the way disabled people are perceived in the UK.

"The London 2012 Paralympic Games offer a great opportunity to challenge out dated perceptions and help make real progress towards equality for disabled people in the UK," said Miller.

Her comments were backed by 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson who remains arguably Britain's most recognisable Paralympian despite having retired in 2007.

"Things are looking good for 2012 but we need to think differently about how we may extend the sports development pyramid to include a broader base for disability sport," said Baroness Tanni (pictured).

"The bottom line is we need more disabled people who are not so good at sport taking part.

"There is no better time to ensure that there is real inclusion in sports clubs and school sport.

"If we can't do that with a home Games what can we say we have achieved?

"We should celebrate 500 days until the Games, and for the athletes the reality of how many training sessions they have left will be hitting home.

"It should be a massive sporting festival and a triumph for the nation, but for all the focus on medals and performance objectives, there needs to be a decade of legacy built like concrete behind it."

Meanwhile, to mark 500 days to go until the start of the Paralympic Games, Deloitte and ParalympicsGB are extending the accessibility of Deloitte Parasport, the website which enables people to search for the sport that's best for their disability and for local clubs where that sport can be played.

More than 50 per cent of people using the site have used the "Find a club" function and Deloitte is also launching a new free widget today to allow other websites such as sports clubs, national governing bodies or sponsors to add the functionality of Parasport directly to their site.

Tim Reddish, the chairman of ParalympicsGB, said: "Five hundred days is not long at all, so we're working hard with the sports and athletes to make sure that every one of those days counts.

"When the ParalympicsGB team walks out into the Stadium on August 29, 2012 to the roar of the home crowd, we'll be confident we've done everything we can to produce lifetime best performances that will make the nation proud."

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, added: "The Paralympic Games in 2012 will be the icing on the cake of a fantastic summer of sport that we are privileged to host.

"Spectators will witness the world's elite Paralympians competing at the highest level in some of the most unique, exciting and skilful sports.

"I call on all sports fans to check out the exciting upcoming events we have planned, which will showcase the best of what Paralympic sport has to offer."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]