Leeds/Reading ticket sales screwed up

Leeds-Reading ticket sales - which usually go quite smoothly - hit a glitch this year when people well sent confirmations which were subsequently withdrawn. The Mean Fiddler is blaming its own efficiency:

Melvyn Benn, managing director of festival organiser Mean Fiddler, said: "Cards were rejected either because their numbers were inputted incorrectly or they did not have sufficient funds.

"The sad thing is they got a confirmation and then relaxed and it wasn't until the next morning they were told there was a problem, by which time the weekend tickets were gone.

It's not entirely clear why the company sent out confirmations when they hadn't confirmed the sale.