Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday tickets sell out within hours

London: Nearly 25,000 tickets of a four-day extravaganza to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday in 2016 were today sold out within hours of going on sale.

The theatrical spectacular will take place from May 12 to 15 next year at Home Park in Windsor and involve performances by musicians, dancers and choirs, as well as well-known actors and artists.

"We've been working hard to make this a most unique birthday celebration. We're especially delighted with our plans to offer an extra 5,000 people the chance to be part of the celebrations through our balloted system for tickets on The Long Walk. This will take place in the New Year," said Simon Brooks-Ward, producer and director of the gala.

The event itself will celebrate the life of Britain's monarch, with members of the royal family in attendance on each day and the Queen herself is going to attend the last performance on May 15.

The celebration on each evening will include 900 horses and more than 1,500 participants from the UK and elsewhere covering the major events of the Queen's 90 years.

Tickets cost between 55 pounds and 165 pounds for a seat on the first three nights and rise to between 75 pounds and 195 pounds on the final night.

The top-priced seats will be next to the royal enclosure and include access to a hospitality suite.

Any money left over from the costs of producing the show will go to charity.

The Queen will be 90 on April 21 and her birthday will be marked throughout the country in a number of different ways.

National commemorations will centre on her official birthday weekend in June, the month she was crowned, with a huge street party in the Mall, a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral and the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony.