Wembley's arch ready for big lift

They have fixed the welding and, after a slight hiccup, got the right type of concrete.

Now the great arch that will define the new Wembley Stadium is all but ready to go up.

As this picture shows, the 1,700-tonne structure is lying on the ground, but any day now it will be lifted by five jacking points already in position.

This will involve rotating it 112 degrees, past vertical, and will take between four and six weeks. A test lift is due this month.

A Wembley official said: "At the moment the weather is fantastic and if it stays the same they can work to schedule."

Lord Foster's arch was delayed when faults were found in 25 of the 500 steel "straws". In April it emerged the wrong concrete had been used in the foundations, and had to be replaced.

Mayor Ken Livingstone has said he wants to use the arch in a New Year's Eve fireworks display to rival that in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge.