WORK on the multi-million pound transformation of the Octagon Theatre has been delayed "due to unforeseen circumstances".

The theatre will now not now close on May 5 as planned and its next production will be staged at the Octagon — and not the Albert Halls.

Roddy Gauld, chief executive at the Octagon, said: "Unfortunately the building works have been temporarily delayed.

"Before we can start on-site, diversions of underground services need to take place and the telecommunications works won’t be completed in time.

"The situation is beyond our control, but in the meantime, we’ll be continuing our season and look forward to welcoming everyone to come on Summer Holiday with us."

Summer Holiday will still open at Bolton’s new travel interchange and include a musical bus journey where audiences will be brought to Victoria Square before making their way to the Octagon for the rest of the performance.

Audiences with existing bookings have been notified of the change and their tickets will be transferred to the Octagon and posted out to them.

The theatre box office and Cafe Eight will remain open at the Octagon until Saturday, June 23 when the curtain falls on the production and the theatre closes for its £10 million building work.

The redevelopment work — the biggest of its kind in the theatre’s history — will make it more accessible for audiences, actors and staff so those with mobility impairment and for wheelchair users can go backstage and into dressing rooms without difficulty.

The main auditorium will be air-conditioned, there will be more toilets, a new two floor cafe and bar area as well as a new learning area where seminars and workshops can take place for the community, particularly young people.

Theatre bosses say that the building is ‘no longer big enough or modern enough to withstand the next five decades’ and have secured £3.8 million Arts Council England and thanks to funding from other foundations and supporters, 85 per cent of the £9.87 million needed has been raised so far.

It will re-open in the autumn 2019.

Summer Holiday runs from May 31 to June 23. For more information visit https://octagonbolton.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/summer-holiday/