Leisure bosses criticised by a group of active pensioners angry at shock price hikes have bowed under pressure and slashed their fees.

More than 138 members of Pudsey Active Life Group signed a petition in protest when Leeds Leisure bosses put up the charges for its Active Life sessions.

The campaigning pensioners branded the price rises "unfair" and called on their three ward councillors to add their own weight to their objections.

Users of the centre's Active Life classes were furious when they discovered new price rises meant those of them not on benefits would have to pay an extra 60p per session, taking the fee up to £2.40.

Pudsey labour councillor Mick Coulson labelled the move "outrageous" and accused Leisure Services of "hitting the most vulnerable of our community."

This week he took the issue to a full council meeting and demanded a re-think to make the increases fairer across the whole community.

He said: "The 60p increase for some caused a lot of upset in the group and embarrassment. It looks as though Leisure Services had means-tested Leeds Card holders. On the cards there are code letters which put people into 'on' benefits and 'not on' benefits categories. It was the people who weren't on benefits who were having to pay out the biggest increase of all and that was not on. We are supposed to be encouraging people to keep fit, not putting them off."

Elaine Miller, who is a member of Pudsey Active Life Group, said she and others in the group had felt "deeply distressed" at the increases and "just wanted to see some fairness."

But at Wednesday's full council meeting Councillor John Procter, executive board member for leisure, said the changes would be reversed.

He added: "Having taken their views on board we are going to amend the pricing structure, reducing the city-wide price increase for Active Life classes to just 10p," he said.