2012 tickets freed up by refused sales

(Getty Images)

Thousands of people are set to find out whether they have got London 2012 tickets after the original recipients had their cards declined.

A second round of ticket sales will start later this month and as many as a million more will be released next year when venue capacities are confirmed.

So far 1.8m people have made 20m bids for the 6.6m tickets on sale. However, organisers have said thousands of those who were selected had their bank cards refused and these tickets will be re-allocated. London 2012 has made three attempts to get payments from "problem" accounts where money could not be charged.

Hundreds of thousands of tickets that went unsold in the first ballot will be available to disappointed fans in the second round.

Meanwhile, cyclist Sir Chris Hoy has nominated Manchester-based former national cycling coach Geoff Cooke to be a torch relay runner.