Birmingham will bid to host the World Para Athletics Championships in 2029, despite warnings it could cost up to £6m to stage the event.

The championships would be held at Alexander Stadium if the bid is successful, with the council describing it as an opportunity to build on the legacy of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Paralympic sprinter, Ndidikama Okoh, said she was "so excited" at the prospect of the championships coming to Birmingham, where she began her journey in para athletics.

But government-appointed commissioners overseeing the authority's financial recovery warned councillors that they should consider not bidding and assess whether the money could be better spent.

The commissioners said the decision to bid was "conditional upon securing a minimum 50 per cent contribution from external partners".

Jex Parkin, Leader of the Reform UK Group on Birmingham City Council, said: "It's an extremely prestigious and worthwhile event. But I do share the commissioners' queries regarding costs and priorities, particularly so soon after Birmingham hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games."

Deborah Harries, the Liberal Democrat cabinet member for culture, said councillors would be "rightly focused on affordability and risk", but said the event could generate "substantial" economic benefits.

Okoh, who has lymphoedema, a condition which causes swelling, won bronze in the women's 100m T63 at both the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships.

She moved to Birmingham about six years ago to study criminology and law at university and was inspired after watching para athletes compete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She said the city had "so much to offer" as a host for the championships.

"Birmingham did a really good job of hosting the Commonwealth Games, so it's nice to see that we're going to potentially get more opportunities," she said. "It's a really good opportunity to showcase what para athletes can do."

Okoh said Birmingham's diverse communities helped make it a natural venue for an international event.

"On that global scale, having people [visiting] from all across the world, if people are missing their home comforts, their home foods and stuff, you'll actually find it here," she said.

She added that the city already had a large para sport community and said hosting the championships would have "a social impact as well".

A council report said hosting the championships would help cement Birmingham's status as the UK's home of athletics and enhance its reputation as an inclusive destination.

The city is already preparing to host the Invictus Games next year and matches during Euro 2028.

The report added that the championships could boost visitor spending, support jobs and create volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities.