The London 2017 World Para Athletics Championships have announced BP as a partner ©London 2017

Oil and gas giant BP has been announced as a national partner of the London 2017 World Para Athletics Championships.

BP has been a strong supporter of Para sport, and signed on as a partner of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in 2013.

The company is also a supporter of a number of National Paralympic Committees and Paralympians around the world.

Niels de Vos, London 2017's championship director, said: "Securing such a major multinational as BP is great news for us. 

"We are aware of their support for the Paralympic movement and we are delighted that they have agreed to extend this to support the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017."

Action at the World Para Athletics Championships will take place at London's Olympic Stadium between July 14 and 23. 

London will host both the World Para Athletics Championship and the IAAF World Championship this summer ©London 2017
London will host both the World Para Athletics Championship and the IAAF World Championship this summer ©London 2017

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championship will follow from August 4 to 13.

Both events are being staged in the same city in the same year for the first time ever.

Duncan Blake, BP's global brand director, said: "BP was one of the first major brands to support the global Paralympic movement. 

"The energy within Para-sport is truly inspirational, and being involved in this world class sporting event at the venue of the London 2012 Paralympic Games brings us back to where our support began. 

"We supported the last World Para Athletics Championships in Doha in 2015 and we look forward to another summer of exciting, inspiring and daring Para-sport."