THIS Friday is the deadline for people to collect their wristbands for the Olympic Torch Relay evening celebration.

Almost 8,000 places have been allocated for the free family festivities which will be taking place on Thursday July 12 on Weymouth Beach.

It is being staged by the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), the three Presenting Partners of the Olympic Torch Relay – Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung – and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Applications for the event wristbands were launched on the borough council’s website at 7am on June 12, and were all snapped up in two hours.

Successful applicants have until 4pm on Friday to collect their passes from their selected Tourist Information Centre.

The borough council has confirmed that any not collected by this deadline will be made available to the general public. Details will be announced in early July.