THE striking logo used to promote London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games was created by a designer from York.

Ben Millar, who did a foundation course specialising in graphic design at York College in the 1990s, works for Kino Design, which won an open competition that attracted over 1,100 entries.

A panel of design experts, Olympians, future athletes and Londoners judged a short list, seeking to identify the one which best captured the spirit of London and reflected all that an Olympic Games in the capital would represent.

Kino's entry was judged to have best met the brief, winning it a £10,000 prize.

The logo will be used on all bid materials and communications, from advertising and building wraps through to badges and pens, and it is set to become a familiar sight throughout London, the UK and internationally over the next 18 months.

Ben, 26, who was born in York and studied A-level art at St Peter's School, said his family still lived in Clifton and, as a member of the southern-based supporters club and of the Supporters Trust, he often returned for York City games.

He told today how he got the inspiration for the logo from the Thames as it flowed through the heart of London.

"The fluid style represents London's vibrancy, movement and its continual renewal," he said.

"Our aim was to create a flexible logo that was integrated into the words London 2012, but would be strong enough to stand alone. The ribbon delivers that and can be used in many creative ways in the campaign to win the 2012 Olympic Games for London."

Former London bid supremo Barbara Cassani said: "The ribbon brings to mind the medals that we hope our athletes will be competing for on home soil in 2012, the finishing line of a world class performance, and the colour and movement that is London."

Updated: 09:25 Saturday, May 22, 2004