last updated on October 22, 2009 10:56

A stamp featuring Paralympic dressage will be dropping through letterboxes around the UK starting today to celebrate the run-up to London 2012. Royal Mail has created three sets of special stamps to celebrate the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It was created by Cotswold-based artist Andrew Davidson, who has designed for the Royal Mail before. "Royal Mail never allows a living person — apart from The Queen — to appear on a stamp, so the dressage design is ambiguous in that respect, it just represents the discipline," said Mr. Davidson.

"It's very black and white and is a strong graphic,” said Davidson. In his preparation, he visited equestrian centres and studied videos. "I have never done equestrian designs before but I enjoyed it very much," he added.

Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps at Royal Mail, said: "We hope these stamps play their part in the countdown to the Olympic Games."

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe added: "These stamps will be a wonderful way to celebrate the Games and mean that the whole country can get involved in this fantastic festival of sport between now and 2012."

To order your very own set of 2012 stamps (set of 10 for £3.90) click here