Olympic logo 'hated by 70% of young people' is here to stay says Jowell

That's despite a new study finding almost 70 per cent of 11-to-20-year-olds dislike the youth-orientated London 2012 logo.

Q Research found 68 per cent of respondents that the logo was aimed at "hate" the design, with more than half surveyed saying it was because it 'did not say anything about London'.

The Culture Secretary admitted the design had caused a "storm" and that it was right to withdraw a section of film blamed for causing epileptic fits.

Asked on BBC TV about the logo, Ms Jowell stressed that schools, sports club and voluntary and environmental groups would use it in the runup to the 2012 Olympics.

"We want a logo which is adaptable and can be used in a variety of different ways," she said. "I know it has caused a storm... It is here to stay."

Ms Jowell also told BBC's Radio 4: "Call me unusual but I think it is absolutely terrific. There will be instant identification of this."

Despite Ms Jowell's backing of the logo, a survey of 11-to20-year-olds found 70 per cent disliked it.

The study, by Q Research, found 68 per cent of those polled said they "hate" the design, with more than half of them explaining it was because it did not say anything about the capital or the UK.

Inspectors have begun a three-day examination of London's plans for the Olympics today.

The 16-strong International Olympic Committee's co-ordination commission is being updated on progress since the last official visit in April last year.

Speculation over the spiralling Olympic budget were answered with the announcement that building and regeneration costs had trebled to £9.3 billion.

It had been triggered by the resignation of Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chairman Jack Lemley who also claimed political meddling was hindering the scheme. John Armitt, the outgoing Network Rail chief executive, is taking over as the ODA chairman.

London 2012 will be keen to stress it has made an early start on preparations and is determined to control construction costs in its bid to bring the Games in on time and on budget.

Today the commissioners will be the first passengers on a test train trying out the seven-minute shuttle between Stratford International Station, in east London, to the new St Pancras International Station.

They will be travelling by a Eurostar train as the new high speed javelin trains are not yet in operation.

During the Games this service is set to move 25,000 passengers an hour. The commission first made this trip in Land Rovers during London's bid inspection in February 2005.