A year from today the world’s gaze will be trained on the biggest sporting event on the planet, and as the countdown begins, the Olympics’ green legacy has been saluted by the Environment Agency. The head of the UK government agency that deals with rivers, flooding and pollution, said their work with the Olympic Delivery Authority on London 2012 for the past five years was really paying off.

Lord Chris Smith, Environment Agency chairman said: “With a year to go, we have already made huge improvements to the local environment and are beginning to see wildlife thrive. Once completed, more than five miles of river and hundreds of hectares will have been created or rejuvenated, providing a refuge for wildlife for years to come.”

As well as habitat creation and regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley, 45 hectares of the Olympic Park have been designated as species rich habitat and more than 95 per cent of demolition material has been recycled in construction on the site.