London bids for 2017 World event

(Getty )

UK Athletics has confirmed it intends to bid to bring the 2017 World Athletics Championships to London.

The capital will be the first city in the running to host the event and a formal bid will be submitted to the International Association of Athletics Federations by 1 September, with a decision due in November.

The UKA chairman, Ed Warner, said: "The World Athletics Championships is the greatest sporting event never staged in the UK and we're committed to changing that."

Beijing will host the 2015 championships following its successful staging of the Olympics in 2008 and now London is intending to follow the same pattern.