AFTER months of preparation, it’s time to get set, go for the Leigh Games 2013.

Today, Monday, July 1, and Tuesday, July 2, thousands of schoolchildren and their teachers and relatives will descend on Leigh Sports Village for what promises to be a fantastic two days of sport.

Excitement is at fever pitch for the biggest sporting event for young people in Leigh, Tyldesley, Atherton, Lowton, Golborne and further afield.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham, who came up with the idea to host a Leigh Games as a fitting legacy to the London Olympics 2012, said: “I’m hoping it will be everything we want it to be – a joyous celebration of everything that is great about this borough.

“We want everyone to come down to Leigh Sports Village and support the event.

“Nothing would give me greater pride than seeing the village full of parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

“There is a great excitement building up to the games and I know a lot of people who are taking part are certainly very excited about it.

“The more people buy into this the bigger it will be.”

Pupils will be competing in a wide variety of sporting events, with primary schoolchildren taking part on Monday and high school children on Tuesday, with a separate evening event for the schools’ elite athletes.

Mr Burnham added: “I’m looking forward to seeing which school will be crowned champions.

“We want to see the best of what our schools have to offer. Who will be the 100m and 800m champions?

“Let’s get behind them and make it something the children will remember for the rest of their lives.”