More than a thousand Hackney residents will be among the first spectators to walk through the Olympic Park next month (November) thanks to a unique ticket offer available now to residents of the four London boroughs closest to the Park.

Free tickets to two world class sporting events in the Olympic Park this year are being made available exclusively to residents of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest – giving them the chance to experience London’s newest green space nine months before the rest of the world.

The two sporting events – the London Handball Cup and the London International Goalball Tournament – take place at the Handball Arena over the weekends of November 26-27, and December 3-4. Until now, visitors to the Park have travelled by bus; next month, ticket holders will be able to walk from the public entrance at Stratford, to the venue.

Mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe said: "This is a great opportunity for residents to gain access to the Olympic Park and experience sporting events for free before anyone else."

Handball, an action-packed seven-a-side contact sport, promises plenty of goals and end-to-end action. Goalball is a team game played competitively by visually impaired athletes using a ball with bells inside. The events form part of the London Prepares series of Olympic and Paralympic test events.

The Handball Arena is close to the western boundary of the Olympic Park and is within Hackney. It has seats for 6000 spectators and will be used for sporting, community and music events after the Games.

Residents can register for tickets by calling the ticket enquiry line on: 020 8356 2021 or by emailing: testevents@hackney.gov.uk. Tickets will be allocated by ballot with preference given to those living in wards closest to the Olympic Park.

For more information see www.hackney.gov.uk/2012-news-events