TALKS are still on-going to get the Pakistan team to set up a training base in Stoke-on-Trent for the 2012 London Olympics.

Delegates will be travelling to the Potteries over the summer, and will be given tours of the city's best facilities.

But there are no plans for the country's hockey team to train in the Potteries.

Instead, it is hoped the athletes will be housed somewhere in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, and will travel to Cannock to use facilities there.

Elected mayor Mark Meredith said the city was hopeful that discussions with Pakistan's Olympic boss, General Sayed Arif Hassan, would be successful.

He said: "Talks are on-going. The team is not committed to anyone else yet.

"A delegation will be visiting Britain in the summer and we plan to take advantage of that trip to talk to them in more detail.

"Our facilities at Fenton Manor, Trentham and Cannock Cricket and Hockey Club have been added to an Olympics-standard list, which is sent to the various countries around the world.

"Those countries are then able to see which place best suits their requirements.

"It is also up to us to promote our facilities to those teams.

"But it might be as long as 12 months until anything is finalised."

At the end of last year General Hassan gave a broad hint his team would consider using facilities in Stoke-on-Trent following tours around Fenton Manor sports complex, Staffordshire University and the Wallace Centre Boxing Club, Abbey Hulton. He said that the city was "a front-runner".

Mr Meredith added: "It would be fantastic for us to host an Olympic team.

"As a city we want to become recognised as a city of sport.

"Three years is not that far away, and 2012, for me, will bring pride to our nation.

"For the UK to host the biggest world event, and for our city to be part of that, will be tremendously inspirational.

"Locally I hope we will all feel extremely proud of our achievements, whether they be on the field or making the place more healthy and a better place to live."

Yesterday, the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Legacy Action Plan for the 2012 Games was launched at the second Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 2012 Conference, at Britannia Stadium.

This detailed how the region can benefit from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The plan has been developed following a local and regional consultation.

Speaking at the conference, Advantage West Midland's Jim Johnston, business manager for the 2012 games, said: "There are active discussions taking place with Pakistan to bring them here for the games.

"The Olympic Games do have their roots in this region."