Python script to read VTK legacy file format

Suppose I have got a (non-binary) .vtk file in Simple Legacy Format, as in:

I am looking for a Python script that reads this file and represents it as a data structure. No further processing or visualization needed at this point.

The file format is fairly easy to understand, so it wouldn’t be difficult to write that myself. However, I suppose that has already been written and thoroughly tested before.

Are there open source Python scripts for that?

Please have a look at VTK Examples, on this site there are many examples reading/writing VTK file formats in C++ and Python.

Additionally the latest information on VTK files formats is found here: VTKFileFormats