Opera fans from as far as Australia, America and Germany were left angry and bemused outside a deserted Kassam Stadium on April 30.

Excited Andrea Bocelli fans, unaware of the cancellation, turned up in black tie and evening dress expecting to see their hero.

But they were greeted with a empty car park, no signs and no representatives from concert promoters, the Very Impressive Party Company (Vipco).

About 6,000 fans had bought tickets to the doomed concert before it was cancelled on April 19 -- just hours after promoter Mike Dandridge had told the Oxford Mail: "It's going ahead -- 110 per cent."

Most had been told about the postponement by reading articles in the Oxford Mail or on our website www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk, but at least 30 people turned up on Saturday.

Many more people were seen driving up to the Kassam Stadium and leaving looking unhappy.

Those who tried to phone an information line on the back of the ticket got a recorded message saying the mailbox was full.

Fans were angry the concert had been cancelled and frustrated at the lack of information at the ground.

Many were staying in local hotels and some had made special trips from abroad.

John Blight, 26, an Australian who lives in London, had booked tickets for his mother, a Bocelli fan, who is on holiday in England for two weeks, and girlfriend Marnie Legge.

He said: "My mother is visiting and we brought her here as a surprise. We only told her this morning. She will be heartbroken. We want our money back, and the the car hire and hotel costs."

Renate Kendrick, 56, from Bavaria, left her 90-year-old sick mother in Germany for the weekend to see Bocelli.

She said: "I have come here for nothing. Someone should be here. They should give up promoting if this is what they do."

Many more had travelled to Oxford from other parts of the UK, including Cornwall, Wales, Surrey and London.

All were angry, disappointed and frustrated, especially at the absence of information.

Vipco released a statement on its website telling fans the concert was off. It also said the Bocelli gig would be rearranged in June or July.

Mr Dandridge blamed "unforeseen circumstances" for the cancellation.