Harry Potter fans, prepare yourselves to see an “untold story” revealed when a new show heads to the West End stage next year.

Author JK Rowling announced Harry Potter And The Cursed Child today on the 18th anniversary of her debut book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone being first published in the UK.

JK Rowling JK Rowling (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The play, a collaboration between Rowling, writer Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany, will open in summer 2016 at the Palace Theatre.

Tickets will go on sale in the autumn.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, the first play about the teenage wizard, will explore “an untold part of Harry’s story” and is not a prequel.

The cast of Harry Potter - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint - and JK RowlingThe movie cast of Harry Potter – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint – and JK Rowling (Ian West/PA)

Explaining why Cursed Child is a play and not a new Potter novel, Rowling said: “I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story.”

Another treat coming for Potter fans is the film version of spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which will star Eddie Redmayne.