A COMMUNITY Foundation group has apologised and has had a change of heart after a complaint was made about an initial decision not to honour £3 discounted tickets to Bradford City's home match against Leyton Orient on Monday.

The discounted ticket scheme, which is advertised on the Bradford City Community Foundation website, allows schools, junior clubs, youth clubs and charities to attend the club's home games at a reduced price of £3.

Sandal Primary School, in Baildon, purchased 180 of the discounted tickets which had been paid for by parents of children.

Natalie Robertshaw, PE subject leader at Sandal Primary School, said: "The £3 tickets are offered on the Bradford City Community Foundation website.

"This was well received at our school. For some of our children and families this would be their first opportunity to go to a football match.

"And because of Bradford City's race for promotion, we knew it would be a big game.

"We sent money to Bradford City Community Foundation. The tickets were all ordered, paid for and confirmed.

"But an email from the foundation went out on Tuesday morning to the school which said: 'Unfortunately we have just received a phone call from the club, due to over-subscription of the game we have been told we can not have our usual community rate tickets for the Leyton Orient game next Monday. Each organisation can have 10 tickets each.'

Ms Robertshaw said: "As you can imagine this upset a lot of families. It was a poor decision.

"It could have been better communicated. You would have thought it would have said somewhere on the website that limited tickets were available.

"We've heard that one local football club had even already booked minibuses to take supporters with these tickets to the game.

A coach of a local football team in the Shipley area added: "It's a little bit frustrating when you've told something and then it's taken away, especially when it's a big game."

A spokesperson for the Bradford City Community Foundation said: "The club will be opening a section in the stadium that isn't normally open, and all original ticket orders will now be met.

"The club offered us a reduced amount of community tickets for this game not knowing the demand on our side.

"Once they knew how many people would be disappointed, the club has now honoured all the tickets the community has ordered."

Ms Robertshaw was pleased by the change of heart and that the community foundation would be fulfilling its original order.

She said: "They're going to fulfill the order and they've apologised.

"I am grateful to those involved at the Bradford City Community Foundation for consulting with the club and its safety officers and reconsidering their decision to cancel our tickets.

"As you can imagine, in the midst of a cost of living crisis, the reduced cost of the tickets has given many of our families a wonderful opportunity to support our local team.

"For some of our children, this will be the first time they have watched a professional football match and I hope that many of them continue to support the Bantams as a result of this.

"It's all good in the end and City will have more supporters at the game on the day.

"I wish Bradford every success in their drive for a place in the playoffs."