A group of leading British athletes have written to authorities demanding the Olympic Stadium running track be kept in place after the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Kelly Holmes and Daley Thompson are among the signatories of the letter, which argues keeping the track would “bring to life a sporting promise made to a whole community for generations to come”.

Plans put to the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) by Premier League club Tottenham to relocate to the stadium would result in the running track being removed.

Tottenham submitted their bid in conjunction with entertainment group AEG, with proposals including the construction of an 80,000-seat stadium.

UK Athletics (UKA) has already branded the plan “completely unacceptable”.

Football club West Ham United are also in the running to take over the stadium. However, their bid – submitted alongside Newham Council - would see the track left in place.

The club has been cited as preferred bidder by the OPLC, the organisation responsible for the long-term management of the site.

LOCOG recently announced the site would become known as Queen Elizabeth Park following the Games

Athletes

Steve Cram, Steve Backley, and Roger Black are also among those who signed the letter urging the OPLC to fulfil the pledge to maintain “an athletics legacy in the form of a world-class stadium”.

They wrote: “Here was a stadium that would see young athletes competing for an English schools title run on the same track as Usain Bolt, where Premiership footballers could play while club athletes train.

“Here was somewhere that could play host to Twenty20 cricket one week and a pop concert the next.

“As Olympians we are all ardent sports fans and that is why we believe the Olympic legacy HAS to be the Olympic Stadium complete with track.

“It would be unacceptable for the stadium to lose the track and effectively become an Olympic Stadium with NO Olympic connection or legacy.”