Local residents were the first non-construction workers to get a look inside the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) as two young residents turned on the site's Christmas lights.

Residents went on bus tours of the Olympic Park and were able to discuss the work on the Park with contractors.

Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said: "It's great that local residents stole a march on the world’s media to get the first look inside the IBC. They have seen first hand where in 2012 thousands of media will broadcast the story of the London 2012 Games to billions of people.

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"The Olympic Park is the largest regeneration project in Europe and we work hard to be a good neighbour by minimising the impact of construction and involving local people in every stage of the project."

The IBC, along with the Main Press Centre, will be the home to around 20,000 broadcasters, photographers and journalists in 2012, who will communicate the Games to an audience of four billion people worldwide.

After the Games the facilities will create sustainable business space with the potential to generate thousands of new jobs.

(CD/BMcc)