London, March 30 : The Olympic Park in London opened to the public this weekend for the first time since the 2012 Games.

More than 23,000 tickets have been sold for the hour-long accompanied tours, organisers said, which offer a sneak preview before the Stratford site begins to open in July, reports Xinhua.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "We promised to give people opportunities to get back on to the park as soon as possible and it is no surprise that there is a huge appetite from Londoners for these fantastic tours offering a chance to see this exciting metamorphosis first hand."

Whole sections of the park are being rebuilt with new cafes, community centres and gardens added, as part of a 18-month scheme costing 292 million pounds ($463 million).

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park reopens in part in July and will re-open fully from next year. Planners hope that within 20 years the new district will be home to 8,000 people. (IANS)