Footballing legend Jack Charlton has been left in the dark over the closure of an arts complex where he was due to appear, his agent said.

The former World Cup winner and Irish manager was due to be on stage at Stockton's Arc next Wednesday, and was expected to draw a sell-out audience.

But following the Arc's slide into liquidation, the event and others have been cancelled.

Mr Charlton's agent, Alan Platt, said they were not told of the venue's demise and only learnt what was going on through The Northern Echo.

He said: "We have not been contacted by anybody and we cannot just cancel a contract on a newspaper article. We feel very sorry that it has come to a position like this for the Arc and its staff, but we need to know."

Mr Platt said no payment had been received from the Arc.

The ex-footballer has been touring the country with his show - An Audience With Jack Charlton.

Paul Burns, a spokesman for the Arc Trust, said it had contacted agents of acts who were due to appear. But he admitted it was inevitable that, with the speed of events, some may have slipped through the net.

Inquiries about the Arc are being handled by liquidation firm John B Taylor, of Yarm.