A deal has been signed with the British Virgin Islands to train there.

Dean Greenaway, the secretary general of the British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee said: "The British Virgin Islands expect to take part in two sports at the London 2012 Games - athletics and sailing.

"We had a pre-Games training camp during our inaugural Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles, but it was three time zones away in New Jersey.

"This opportunity with Hertfordshire allows our athletes and the delegation to acclimatise in the same locality as the Games.

"We look forward to this opportunity and the hospitality already extended by Hertfordshire."

The country is an British overseas territory with a population of just 22,000 - which is dwarfted by Hertfordshire, where more than a million people live.

The British Virgin Islands made their Olympic debut at Los Angeles in 1984 and have competed in every Summer Games since.

But they are still waiting their first medal.

They sent only two athletes to the Olympics in Beijing last year, discus thrower Eric Matthias and Tahesia Harrigan, who competed in the women's 100 metres.

Both were knocked out in the qualifying rounds.

It is expected that the team will base themselves near Stevenage.

Derrick Ashley, Hertfordshire County Council's champion for the 2012 Games and executive member for planning, said: "Hertfordshire is an ideal place for athletes from around the world to train.

"It has high quality sports facilities, plus we can offer things like strength and conditioning training, equipment, accommodation, travel and competition at an elite level.

"And of course Hertfordshire is a very short distance away from London and the Olympic Park.

"Each nation that chooses our pre-Games training camps will be spending up to £25,000 in Hertfordshire, which is good news.

"In addition, we will be looking to make school and community links with the British Virgin Islands long after the Games have finished.

"We look forward to welcoming the British Virgin Islands team to Hertfordshire very soon."

Hertfordshire joins the likes of Birmingham, Bristol, the North West, Wales and Yorkshire in agreeing deals for Olympic and Paralympic teams to train in Britain before the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.

There are a total of 17 training venues in Hertfordshire and they hope to announce more deals with other countries in the near future.