West Ham United Football Club (WHUFC) has confirmed that intends to take legal action against the Sunday Times over claims relating to its bid for the Olympic Stadium.

The club is also planning to sue Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) over allegations of 'secret cash' payments to an Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) staff member. WHUFC said that information published in the Sunday Times regarding the OPLC member of staff had been received illegally by investigators employed by THFC.

The club said the individual - thought to be Dionne Knight - had worked for a partnership comprising itself and Newham Council to secure a construction partner for the venue. It denied that Knight had been involved with the stadium procurement process, although the OPLC has suspended a member of staff pending investigation.

A WHUFC spokesperson said: "The OPLC has confirmed that Ms Knight had absolutely no involvement in the bidding process and we repeat that secret cash was not paid to her. "The OPLC has further confirmed that she and other employees of the OPLC did not have access to confidential information as it was held at the OPLC's external solicitors' offices."

An OPLC spokersperson added: "It has come to our attention that an employee of the OPLC has been undertaking paid consultancy work for West Ham United FC. "The company had no knowledge of this work and no permission was given to undertake it. This individual had no involvement whatsoever in our stadium process."