Concert agency Sofia Music Enterprises (SME) has started refunding tickets for the cancelled Depeche Mode Sofia gig, private national broadcaster bTV said on June 14 2009.

Tickets will be refunded at the places where they were bought, SME told bTV. This means SME's office in Sofia, Ticketpro desks and partner stores. Fans have a deadline of September 14 2009 to retrieve their money.

On-line bookings will be automatically refunded. "We need some time to arrange it but the money will automatically go to clients' respective bank accounts," SME's Paraskeva Yancheva told bTV.

Depeche Mode cancelled their Sofia concert on June 12 2009 after first postponing it. The band cancelled eight shows in May to allow frontman Dave Gahan time to recover from an operation to remove a bladder tumour.

Originally the concert in Sofia was scheduled for May 18 at the Vassil Levski national stadium. It would have been the band's second gig in Bulgaria. In June 2006, Depeche Mode drew a crowd of more than 30 000.

However, Gahan was diagnosed with a low-grade malignant tumour in his bladder, while under examination for gastroenteritis. After the tumour was successfully removed, Gahan has been advised by medical staff to rest until June 8, to ensure that there are no post-operative complications.

"Depeche Mode and the band's managers apologise to their numerous Bulgarian fans for not being able to carry on with the show, but promised that Sofia will be included in the band's next tour," SME said.

According to SME, the band's next tour could be in two to three years when Depeche Mode is expected to record a new album.