More than 80 ticketholders for the failed Andrea Bocelli opera concert in Oxford have joined forces in their fight to get a refund from promoters Vipco.

Despite promising fans that they would be given updates on refunds by this week, Vipco's Mike Dandridge and Darren Ward have not made contact with ticketholders.

But as the likelihood of Bocelli fans seeing their money again lessens -- Mr Ward was declared bankrupt last week -- the Bocelli Action campaign group is gathering strength.

Ten days ago, disgruntled Bocelli fan Laura Hepherd issued a rallying cry to fellow fans to team up and chase refunds together and last night she told the Oxford Mail she had been overwhelmed by the response.

She said: "More and more people keep coming on board. There must be about 80 already, but that figure is growing all the time.

"There are a lot of angry, fed-up people out there who want to get their money back.

"Those people who paid by credit card are seeking refunds from their credit card companies, but for others, it's looking bleak.

"I heard of one man receiving a refund a few weeks ago -- but that was only by going into the Red Lion pub and demanding it and then they gave him cash from the till."

Mr Ward used to run the Red Lion pub, in Islip, but recently returned to his home town of St Albans with his wife and children. Receivers have taken over the pub.

Bocelli fans who bought tickets direct from Vipco said their receipts bore the Red Lion's name and address.

Mrs Hepherd added: "None of the ticketholders I have spoken to this week have heard from Vipco, but now we're at this stage, I think I would be extremely shocked if we did. It's utterly frustrating, but we're all determined to keep fighting."

Mrs Hepherd has spearheaded the campaign, securing a solicitor and a fraud barrister to work on the group's behalf for free, and she also has a private investigator working on the case.

Oxfordshire County Council trading standards officers and police are investigating the matter.

Mr Bocelli's agents, MT Opera and Blues of Bologna, Italy, last week announced they would be taking legal action against Mr Dandridge and Mr Ward for "contractual violations" and "illicit behaviour".

The concert was initially due to go ahead on April 30 at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium, but it was postponed by Mr Dandridge and Mr Ward hours after they told the Oxford Mail it would be going ahead "110 per cent".

They rescheduled the event for July 10, but finally cancelled it earlier this month, citing "insufficent ticket sales and licence issues".