A 19-year-old man has been charged over a bomb hoax that led to the evacuation of a show by comedian Peter Kay in Birmingham.

Omar Majed, of Washwood Heath, Birmingham, has been charged with false communications and will appear before magistrates in the city on Monday, West Midlands Police said.

The Utilita Arena was evacuated and the comedian rushed off stage during the show on Friday night following a report of a suspicious bag being left in the area.

Police said: "Following searches, nothing suspicious was found. "

"We are grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding," the police statement added. "As always our priority is the safety of the public. "

Kay was about 45 minutes into his set when it was cut short.

A spokesperson for the NEC Group said that ticket holders would be contacted with their next steps by the outlet they originally used.

Utilita Arena Birmingham shared an update on X on Saturday morning thanking attendees for their cooperation during the evacuation.

The venue said Saturday's show would be going ahead as planned as it outlined details of security measures it has in place

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