First glimpse at UK's most expensive leisure centre

The most expensive leisure centre ever built in Britain will be unveiled today four days before it opens to the public.

The £250m London Aquatics Centre was meant to be the iconic venue of the 2012 Olympic Games.

But the sweeping curves of the 3,000 tonne roof were hidden by two temporary "wings" containing 15,000 spectator seats.

Eighteen months after the end of London 2012, the wings are gone and the ugly duckling has finally turned into a swan.

The Aquatics Centre boasts two 50-metre swimming pools, a diving pool, dry diving room and a gym.

The swimming complex was commissioned in 2004 when London was still considered an outsider in the race to host the 2012 Olympics.

It was designed by the Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid and was initially given a woefully naive price tag by the government of £75m.