Challenged folding walking stick (Westbourne Park W11)

This is my 'magic Indian walking stick', bought in India when i tore ankle ligaments. It's been useful other times over the years, but I've just discovered that the elastic, which keeps it together, has unfortunately gone. This means that if you're trying to use it, when you lift it off the ground it falls apart, making it pretty dangerous.

I don't know if it's possible to replace the elastic and repair it that way, or you could fuse the sections together so it's just a walking stick and doesn't fold any more. Or maybe there's another use for it.