One million people sign up for 2012 Olympic tickets

A MILLION people have signed up for tickets to the London Olympics and Paralympics in the month since registration opened, Games chiefs said today.

Highest demand for tickets is in London and the South-East while just four per cent of inquiries so far have come from abroad.

London 2012 organiser Locog, said interest was wide ranging with each of the 26 sports from handball to athletics attracting at least 100,000 expressions of interest.

Locog, which has not advertised the sign-up scheme outside Britain in a bid to boost home crowds, said 96 per cent of registrations came from Britain.

Of the UK registrations, 32 per cent were from London, with 27 per cent from the South-East and 41 per cent from the rest of the country.

About 400,000 expressed an interest in attending the Paralympics.

Locog chairman Sebastian Coe said it showed the public had an appetite for "world class" sport. He said: "We are thrilled by the level of interest which has been significant across all Olympic and Paralympic sports. The British public is enthused by the prospect of world class sport coming to these shores."

Among the drawcards will be British runner Natasha Danvers who will be hoping to better her bronze medal in the Women's 400m hurdles final at Beijing in 2008. Those who register will receive regular updates on ticket availability but they are not guaranteed to get the ticket of their choice.

To register, fans must provide their personal details and indicate which of the Olympic and Paralympic sports they are interested in.

Locog aims to raise £375 million from tickets which are expected to cost an average £40 and will go on sale in spring next year.

Of the 0 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets, 75 per cent will be sold via a public ballot.