London 1948 Olympic plaque restored at Wembley Park

A plaque commemorating the opening of the 1948 London Olympics has been restored and unveiled at the location of the Games' opening ceremony.

The ornament was first revealed on 6 July 1948 at Wembley Park in north-west London, but was moved in 1993 and found in "a dreadful state" last year.

Restoration efforts were led by Quintain, the company who own the area.

An additional plaque has also been unveiled to celebrate the Olympic Steps and Olympic Way renovation works.

London hosted the Olympic Games for the second time in 1948, with a then record 59 nations taking part.

The Games became known as the "Austerity Games" due to the economic challenges in the aftermath of World War Two.

Consequently, no new stadiums were built to accommodate the Games and instead events primarily took place at Wembley Stadium.

A plaque to celebrate the event was first unveiled by the then MP Alfred Barnes, Minister of Transport, to mark the opening ceremony.

It was left on Olympic Way, the road leading from the nearby Tube station to the stadium, until 1993, before being placed in an area of scrubland above the Bobby Moore Bridge.

It was then discovered by chance by author Mike Collett last year.

After approaching Quintain, repair works began with the support of the British Olympic Association, World Olympians Association and Wembley History Society.

Mr Collett says the plaque "serves as a rare and valuable physical reminder of the 1948 Games. It is an important historical artefact that has been carefully restored for future generations to appreciate and enjoy."

The unveiling ceremony was led by Councillor Abdi Aden, the mayor of Brent, who also revealed the additional plaque situated on a plinth outside Wembley Stadium.

This second plaque celebrates the completion of the Olympic Steps and Olympic Way renovation works from 2021.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk