£70m pool for games

The first image has been released of the new £70 million swimming pool which Olympic bid chiefs say will give the "wow factor" to London.

The building, with its dynamic S-shaped roof, forms a centrepiece of the capital's bid for the 2012 Games and will host the speed and synchronised swimming, diving and water polo final if London is successful.

Sport England is paying £40 million towards the project and even if the bid fails, the centre, designed by Zaha Hadid, will be built for public use.

It will have a 50m competition pool, a 50m training pool and a diving pool. Work to clear the site in Stratford has begun and construction is due to begin in December, taking three years.

Mayor Ken Livingstone was unveiling the plans today.