A rugby fan allegedly assaulted by a rival supporter claims police and stewards failed to take action because the man who hit her was a pensioner.

Brenda Lane, of Clayton, Bradford, was cheering on Bradford Bulls at Sunday's away fixture with the Halifax Blue Sox when the incident happened at the start of the second half.

The 35-year-old, who has supported the Odsal club since the age of seven, said: "We were commenting on the game and players, like you do, when one of their fans tapped my husband on the shoulder.

"He was in his 70s. He swore at us and said we obviously didn't know anything about rugby.

"I disagreed with him and said one of the Halifax players had been playing dirty all match - then he hit me across the face.

"I was gobsmacked. Our 11-year-old son Christopher and my dad Harry were also there and they couldn't believe what they were seeing."

Two stewards saw the incident and went to help, waiting with Mrs Lane until police arrived. But the pensioner was not ejected from the ground.

Mrs Lane said: "The police officers told me there was nothing they could do because of the man's age.

"They said I could take out a civil prosecution but warned me it would probably be a waste of time and money.

"It seems you can do what you want if you're in your 70s.

"If he'd have been 35 he probably would have been thrown out of the ground and arrested for assault. It's unbelievable."

Mrs Lane says the incident has soured her view of rugby league as a family spectator sport and has vowed never to go to another away match.

Today, a spokesman for the Halifax Blue Sox said stewards contracted by the club waited with the man inside the ground until the end of the game on the advice of police.

He said: "We have spoken to the company in charge of stewarding. Two stewards saw the incident and waited at the scene until the police arrived.

"The man was escorted from the ground by stewards at the end of the game and the matter was handed over to police."

He said the club was awaiting a police report into the matter, but added the way it was handled had nothing to do with the man's age.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed two officers attended the scene following complaints of an alleged assault.

"All parties agreed no further action should be taken," he said.