A “large” sewer blockage caused by “fat, grease and rags” has forced the cancellation of a Bryan Adams concert in Australia on public health grounds.

The Grammy Award winning artist was due to perform at the RAC Arena in Perth on Sunday, but the city’s water corporation said a blocked main risked backing up the venue’s toilets.

Adams apologised to fans on social media – many of whom had lined up for hours only to be turned away – and thanked them for their “patience and support” before promising to try to reschedule the show.

But the concert promoter said that while the cancellation was “bitterly disappointing” it could only provide ticketholders with a full refund.

“While every effort was made for the show to proceed, this matter was outside of the control of Bryan Adams, Frontier Touring and RAC Arena,” it wrote in a statement.

Perth’s water corporation said the fatberg responsible for the disruption had already “caused several wastewater overflows” on the main road near the venue and urged the public to avoid direct contact with “pooled water” in the area.

“We apologise for the inconvenience this has caused and will provide further updates as required,” it said in a post on Facebook, advising of the cancellation.

Adams – who is known for his iconic hits such as Summer of ’69 and Please Forgive Me – made his Australian debut in 1984 and has remained a beloved performer across the country ever since.

“I’m really sorry we couldn’t make this happen tonight — I was so looking forward to seeing you all,” he posted on social media on Sunday.

The Canadian rock star is still due to play in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne later this week.

Found in sewers around the world, fatbergs are formed when fat, oil and grease solidify and bind with items such as rags, or wet wipes.

They are known to cause serious blockages and environmental hazards. Last year, a fatberg weighing roughly the same as three double-decker buses was cleared from an east London sewer. And New York, Denver, Melbourne and Valencia have all found giant fatbergs blocking their waterways in recent years.