Preston City Council (PCC) has revealed that the Lancashire city has been successful in a bid to be awarded European City of Sport status for 2012.

The designation was confirmed following a two-day inspection of the city's sports facilities and green spaces, which was undertaken by an international judging panel. It is hoped that the European City of Sport status will boost Preston's chances of a visiting Olympic team using the city as a training base for the 2012 Olympics, and could also lead to the hosting of a major event.

European cities with more than 25,000 residents are eligible for the award first handed out in 2007, while cities with more than 500,000 residents can bid to become European Capital of Sport. PCC cabinet member for community services Christine Thomas said: "This is a great achievement for Preston which has a strong sporting history and to be rewarded for its commitment to sports is excellent.

"Receiving this accolade in 2012 will help focus attention on sport in Preston and compliment our intentions for European City of Sport 2012 and the vision for Preston." Image: Preston's Mini-Olympics event