Dartford's hopes of hitting the Olympics big time are still alive, with a last-ditch attempt to persuade London 2012 bosses it is an attractive venue for competition.

Dartford Clay Shooting Club is making a desperate 11th-hour bid to host the shooting competitions in a proposed new world-class venue.

Olympics chiefs have already provisionally committed themselves to staging the shooting at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south east London.

However, the Dartford club says it hopes spiralling costs for the Woolwich project - coupled with regeneration plans for its Joyce Green Lane site - will see it replace the south London site on the Olympics map.

Earlier this week it held talks with the Board of British Shooting, at which it proposed to make the board trustee of the venue for 50 years.

It hopes this proposal will win over board members and change the minds of the Olympics organising committee.

Club spokesman Richard Bailey said: "We realise that time is very much of the essence.

"We estimate we only have until Christmas, so need to move very fast to convince the authorities that Dartford is the best option.

"At a time when London Mayor Boris Johnson is trying to save money for the delivery of the Olympics, we are offering a very attractive proposal.

"Dartford's already fought a very long campaign to get this far and isn't giving up yet."

It is thought a renovated venue in Dartford would cost about £35 million, which bosses believe is roughly £20 million cheaper than the Woolwich project would check in at.

The Dartford club has received support from some board members and now hopes to persuade the others of its benefits at a series of further meetings.

If Dartford's Olympic hopes are eventually laid to rest, club bosses say they aim to secure other funding to push ahead with their renovations regardless.