ArcelorMittal Orbit slide ready to ride

The final piece of the world’s longest helter-skelter, wrapped around the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower at the Olympic Park, has been lifted into place.

The £3.5 million, 178-metre ride will take 40 seconds to fly down at speeds of up to 15 mph, which is about the pace of a sprint. Riders will circle the sculpture a total of twelve times during the brief ride.

German-Belgian artist Carsten Holler designed the slide after being commissioned by Sir Anish Kapoor, who created the sculpture for the London 2012 Olympics. Sir Anish has previously said he hopes to be among the first to have a go on the slide.

Opening to the public on June 24, adult tickets will cost £15 and are valid for unlimited entry 365 days from first use. Though tickets give users access to all areas of the sculpture for a year, users will have to pay £5 per ride.