West Ham United Football Club (WHUFC) has reaffirmed plans to move to the Olympic Stadium after teaming up with Newham Council to work on a joint bid for the site.

The newly-formed Olympic Park Legacy Company is seeking a viable and lasting legacy for the venue after the London Games finish, with the club considering it as a potential new home. Organisers say the stadium must retain an athletics track as part of a pledge to the International Olympic Committee, but WHUFC and the council are confident their prospective bid could offer a range of benefits.

Under the joint proposals, the Olympic Stadium would become a hub for sport, culture and education incorporating football and athletics, and will help to drive participation in East London. WHUFC vice-chair Karren Brady said: "It's about realising the full potential of the Olympic Park. As well-established local organisations, Newham Council and West Ham United are best placed to make it happen.

"We acknowledge the need for the stadium to host world-class athletics and so it should. But it can accommodate football, too - and a whole lot more. There has to be a way of achieving that." Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales added: "The only realistic solution is to make the stadium work for a Premier League football team and that should be West Ham United. We have never understood why that wasn't obvious.

"Look at what Manchester did after the Commonwealth Games. Why can't we do that here? West Ham understands the community. It will mean there is a tenant that will look after the place, rather than let it go to ruin." Image: London 2012