A Bradford businessman has stumped up the cash to cover City’s costs for trying to beat the big freeze.

The Bantams fan, who wishes to stay anonymous, sent a cheque to cover the four-figure bill for all the work on the pitch and around the ground during the recent wintry weather.

Director Roger Owen said the mystery benefactor was prompted to act after reading derogatory comments on the message board about the club’s groundstaff.

Owen said: “We are absolutely delighted by this and very grateful to this gentleman. He is in business and quite successful but goes to the match just for a beer and to watch football. He doesn’t normally get involved but his motivation was some of the comments he read on the internet after the Notts County game was called off.

“He had been going past the ground regularly and seen the efforts we were making to try to get it on. So he was pretty appalled to read the things being said.

“He thought that having a go at the groundsman wasn’t on so decided to put his hand in his pocket and sent us a cheque for several thousand pounds.”