Dear Zoo shows in Wrexham cancelled after production truck theft

Dear Zoo is a play based on the books of children's author Rod Campbell, and had been travelling between theatres all over the UK before the tour bus used in the production was stolen in Cambridgeshire at the weekend.

It was due to visit the William Aston Hall in Wrexham on May 28 and 29 but due to the theft, these shows have now been cancelled.

Props, costumes and set pieces for the theatre production "Dear Zoo" have been lost after their van was stolen in Cambridgeshire on Saturday

A spokesman for William Aston Hall posted on Facebook: "As you may have seen over the weekend the Dear Zoo production van was stolen and with it the set for the upcoming show, without this equipment the tour can not go ahead.

"Ticket agents will be in touch to organise refunds"

Show producer Chris Davis said the Mercedes truck was stolen in Peterborough in the early hours of Saturday morning with about £50,000 of props, costumes and set pieces inside.

Mr Davies said the truck was fitted with a tracking device that indicates it could now be in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Its number plate is CA67 NLX and anyone with any information is asked to contact the police.

The show has been staged to celebrate 35 years since Dear Zoo was first published and is the story of a child who writes to a zoo asking to be sent a pet.

It was performed at the Key Theatre in Peterborough on Thursday and Friday, and had been due to head to the Artrix in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, on Sunday.

The William Aston Hall in Wrexham

The author said of the production: "I can hardly believe that Dear Zoo has celebrated its 35th anniversary and I really am enormously touched and delighted that successive generations of young children continue to love Dear Zoo - their obvious pleasure when interacting with it is so gratifying to see, and for me is the very greatest of compliments!"