The clock is ticking and the heat is on as the countdown to the Special Olympics enters its final 30 days.

Following more than two years of preparation, organisers now have less than a month to finish training volunteers and preparing the venues in time for the opening ceremony at the Walkers Stadium, on July 25.

As well as the event itself, organisers are busy finalising accommodation and transport arrangements for up to 12,000 people coming into the city, as well as medical facilities, social activities and education programmes.

Special Olympics director Steve Humphries, said staff were working tirelessly to "raise the roof" at the opening ceremony. He said: "We've now got around 250 ambassadors and about 1,200 volunteers.

"We're in the last 30 days now, so at this stage we're just going through all the plans. It's a massive operation.

"We want to get 25,000 people at the opening ceremony.

"This is about celebrating an Olympic city and we want to give the best welcome we can."

Athletes are now stepping up their training sessions to make sure they give their best performances at the games.

Tennis player Zara Jurenko, from Kirby Muxloe, is hoping to win gold in July.

The 21-year-old said: "All my training is going well. I'm training all the time at the minute.

"I'm having one-to-one coaching and it's just practise, practise, practise now. It's all getting really exciting."

The games will feature 21 sports in a wide range of venues across the city, between July 25 and July 31.

There are now more than 250 ambassadors for the event, including sporting legends Gary Lineker, Martin Johnson, Paul Nixon and Alan Birchenall.

Speaking to the Leicester Mercury yesterday, patron Gary Lineker said he was looking forward to the games.

He said: "The Special Olympics is a fantastic national event for Leicester to be staging. I am hoping to be able to come along to see some of the events."

Earlier this week, Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave also gave his backing.

"The Special Olympics makes a huge impact on the people who are competing," he said.

"The facilities left from these events benefit the community."

The 2009 games will be the second time in the event's 31-year history that they have come to Leicester.