Sandwich Mayor Cllr Joe Trussler celebrated the countdown to 2012 by raising the Olympic flag at The Guildhall on Monday.

The occasion followed the official handover events where the flag was brought ashore by Deal rower Hannah Moon and raised at Dover seafront.

A second flag was then taken to Deal.

Sandwich is the first town to receive the Dover flag before it is circulated among the villages in the area.

Cllr Trussler said: “It is a great honour to be asked to fly the flag.

"Sandwich is hoping to do all it can to support and make the Olympics very successful in 2012.”

The flag will remain at Sandwich until it is required by Aylesham.