Trading Standards officers have asked police to investigate allegations of "theft and deception" against the organisers of the doomed Andrea Bocelli concert in Oxford.

Sally Wolff Promoter Vipco officially scrapped the opera show yesterday, a week after the Oxford Mail predicted it was off.

Now police have been asked to look into the way tickets were sold for the event, as hundreds of fans who booked through Vipco face losing their money.

Those who booked through national ticket agency Ticketmaster will get refunds, the company has promised.

The two men behind Vipco, Darren Ward and Mike Dandridge, promised to reveal by later today why the event, booked for Oxford United's Kassam Stadium on July 10, had been scrapped.

Thousands of opera fans were in the dark for weeks after Vipco cancelled the original date in April and their pleas for refunds went ignored as they were promised it was being rescheduled.

Now the show is definitely off, Oxfordshire County Council trading standards officers want police to investigate the way Vipco sold tickets.

Trading standards officer Richard Webb said last night: "We would like police to look into issues of theft and deception."

He said it was clear to trading standards officers that the organisation of the rescheduled concert had "got out of hand".

Mr Webb added: "We are concerned they Vipco appeared to be continuing to take sales after the first date was cancelled. It appears that nothing was being done to organise the concert."

Darren Ward, of Vipco, claimed he wanted to issue refunds but was in legal discussions. Co-promoter Mike Dandridge was unavailable for comment.

Mr Ward said: "We're sending letters to everybody who bought tickets explaining the situation on refunds today.

"I'm very disappointed. I have personally lost everything. All I ever wanted to do was bring Bocelli here. These things have snowballed and put us in a loss situation. Personally, I would like to give refunds.

"All the money is still in the business. It has been utilised in deposits or to take out adverts.

"We're not in a position to discuss refunds, not because the money isn't there, but because we need to take further advice."

Hundreds of fans who booked through Vipco became suspicious after bank statements revealed the transaction had gone through the Red Lion pub, in Islip, which is run by Mr Ward.

Despite ticketholders inundating the pub and Vipco with phone calls and letters, the organisers failed to produce refunds and in many cases failed to respond at all.

Sally Wolff, 47, of Bicester, was overcharged by £100 for her two tickets. She said: "This was going to be a big event for me, but turned sour. I'm very upset."