There is just a month to go until Kent gets to play its part in the biggest show on earth.

The countdown is on to the Olympic torch arriving in the county, just a week before the opening ceremony of London 2012.

The flame will be in Kent over four days in July, longer than any other county, and will visit 37 communities.

Stephanie Holt, Kent 2012 manager at Kent County Council, said: "It's certainly a huge logistical exercise to make sure all the right partners have the opportunity to shape the event, ensure it's safe for members of the public and very enjoyable.

"We want to make sure we maximise everyone's experience of the games and what the long term impact of the torch is going to be in Harrietsham, for example, or Gravesend."

Six celebrities will be among more than 230 people to carry the torch through Kent.

Tracey Emin, who was one of just 12 artists chosen to create official posters for the Olympic and Paralympic games, will run in her home town of Margate while tennis player Elena Baltacha will carry the flame in St Peters.

However, details of the other stars are being kept a secret until the very last minute.

Ms Holt added: "Some of the celebrities are such high profile that we'll only find out about them two or three hours in advance.

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"The main reason is to make sure the celebrity remains safe and the volunteers who're lining the route don't get overwhelmed with people - but it's quite an exciting aspect."

It has also been revealed the torch will travel with a group of children on a tall ship into the port of Dover before an evening celebration for more than 15,000 people.

It will also visit Canterbury Cathedral, be sailed up the river Medway in Maidstone and spend time at the Gurdwara in Gravesend.

Thanet will host the flame longer than any other part of the county when it arrives there on July 19 after route organisers decided it was a particularly beautiful area.

Ms Holt revealed: "There are lots of natural routes torch bearers can run from each of the small linked communities within Thanet, so they've got just short of five hours of torch bearer running time which I think is fabulous for the communities of places like Margate, Ramsgate and St Peters."