The huge 10-yearly survey of the entire population is expected to reveal, among a myriad of other things, whether there has been an increase in the number of people who make their living from sport over the last decade.

The mass of statistics will also highlight trends which help the authorities plan and develop sports and leisure facilities

"The results from the 2011 Census will provide a fascinating insight into the world of professional sport," says Peter Stokes, 2011 Census statistical design manager.

"We ask confidential questions about employment - what people do in their main job - so we can highlight trends for planners, so they can see, for·example, if more space is needed for leisure or sports-related facilities."

The 2001 Census showed that 11,404 people in England and Wales were employed as professional sports players - Leeds had the most with 204.

According to Sport England, the government agency responsible for building the foundations for sporting success, the number of people participating in sport at least three times a week in 2010 was 6,938,000.

In the last two years the number of people participating in weekly athletics has increased by over 263,000, while the number of people playing netball has risen by 26,000 thanks to programmes like Back to Netball, which encourages women to return to the sport.

The increase of grassroots participation and the successes of the UK's national teams may influence others to believe it's possible to forge a·career in sports, but have the UK's ranks of professional sportsmen and women grown just in time for the 2012 Olympics?