Shows and performances scheduled to take place at New Brighton’s Floral Pavilion Theatre between now and the end of August will not now take place, Wirral Council has announced.

The local authority says that the measure is due to the rising infection rates of COVID-19 in the borough.

A statement from Wirral Council said: "Wirral’s infection rate is currently the highest in the Liverpool City Region, with an average of 236 new cases every day.

"The theatre also has a number of employees currently in isolation due to either testing positive for COVID-19 or through close contact tracing.

"This means that despite the national relaxation of COVID-19 regulations that took effect today, the decision has been taken to cancel scheduled shows at the Floral Pavilion on public health and protection grounds until August 31."

Staff at the theatre will be contacting producers and promoters to discuss the possible re-scheduling of some planned performances. The theatre will contact everyone who has purchased tickets for an affected event directly with updates and have asked for ticketholders not to call the box office in the meantime.