One year ago, Woolwich was ablaze. The southeast London town was consumed by summer riots that destroyed shops, horrified locals and left Olympics organisers aghast.

Now the only flames burning in Woolwich are those of the Olympic cauldron, beamed from a giant TV screen across the tranquil town square.

It's a world away from last year's violence. Residents sit on clipped lawns, surrounded by floral borders, captivated by the live broadcast of games events in their back yard. Hundreds of spectators have gathered here to cheer Usain Bolt on.

On the face of it, multi-cultural Woolwich is a shining example of what organizers hope the Olympic Games will bring to London's most deprived areas.

But there's also fear that the economic cracks and despair have only been papered over.

When the inspiring Olympic athletes go home and the London 2012 banners come down, will there be enough hope left so the youths who felt compelled to smash windows and raid businesses don't do so again?

Stay tuned.

— Toby Goode — Twitter http://twitter.com/tobyjgoode

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EDITOR'S NOTE — "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.