A delegation from Malawi has visited Guildford as part of a tour of the South East to find suitable facilities for its athletes, while Colombian officials are also due in the county for a visit to the site where the University of Surrey is constructing its Olympic-size swimming pool.

 

The Malawi Olympic Committee, led by president Floriano Massah and general secretary Helene Mpinjanjira also visited Horsham, Portsmouth and Southampton.

 

The visits come one month before Surrey is due to unveil its own logo for the Games, which has been designed by the University of Creative Arts.

 

Elizabeth Molineux, who is in charge of co-ordinating Surrey’s 2012 campaign, is trying to arrange more visits from country's interested in setting-up at pre-Games training camp.

 

She said: “Clearly this would be a great boost to community services and businesses.

 

"The majority of competing nations at the Games have teams of 10 people or fewer.

 

“Here in Surrey we are within easy striking distance of the competitive venues across London, at Eton Dorney in Weymouth, and beyond.

 

"We can use the Games to make long-lasting benefits to the health of people who live and work in Surrey.

 

"Training camps are just the tip of the iceberg.”

 

The Spectrum and Guildford Lido, Merrist Wood College, Bisley’s National Shooting Centre, the University of Surrey, Charterhouse School near Godalming, St John’s School in Leatherhead, King Edward’s School Witley and the Edge Leisure Centre in Haslemere have all been named as training facilities.

 

These will be suitable for sports including archery, basketball, fencing, swimming, table tennis and shooting as well as equestrian sports, Molineux said.

 

Organisers at Surrey are not putting a cap on the number of countries that can use the county's facilities, with some able to host a number of nations.