HALF the tickets sold within 24 hours for a major conference to mark 50 years since the QE2 was launched in Clydebank.

The special one-day event in September at Clydebank Town Hall comes as campaigners are increasingly concerned for the future of the QE2, currently languishing in Dubai.

Lynda Bradford, with conference organisers the QE2 Story Team, said: “It is so sad what is happening to QE2 in Dubai and the photos of the ship that we are seeing posted on social media are not good. Members of the QE2 Story are concerned that the QE2 davits and lifeboats have been removed, which affects the aesthetics as a ship.

“There are rumours that work is being done on the ship to convert her to a hotel ship to be based at Port Rashid. There was mention in Trade Arabia of QE2 being a centrepiece in the planned Port Rashid development, but no official news of the planned conversion.”

With half tickets being sold just at the weekend, Ms Bradford said she wanted Bankies to have their chance to attend on September 22.

She said: “We know that people are attending the conference from New Zealand, USA, Europe and many parts of the UK, but we want to make sure that people from Clydebank and the surrounding area also attend to celebrate QE2, the last of the great liners to be built at Clydebank.”

Tickets are £31 and available from qe2event.com.