A football club has apologised after a coach carrying fans to an away game almost turned back half way to the match.

Some 17 King's Lynn Town FC fans had boarded the bus to travel to the Linnets' game at York FC on Saturday.

In a statement, Lynn said: "The club have been made aware of matters arising from a coach, chartered independently from King's Lynn Town FC, that yesterday travelled to York City carrying supporters for our National League North fixture.

"We have it on good authority that when the coach arrived at a motorway service station the organiser of the coach was approached for the balance of money to cover the cost of the coach hire which the person was unable to provide.

"It was made clear that if the monies were not provided the coach would be returning back to King's Lynn. It was at this point that a regular supporter, known to the club, paid the balance of the money (a large amount) so that the coach could continue on its journey, which it did. Clearly this is a very unsatisfactory and disturbing situation."

The statement said the club wished to distance itself from the person who chartered the coach, who is not officially affiliated to it.

It added: "We will be contacting the person responsible for the coach on Saturday for an explanation to the circumstances surrounding this incident and to also express our wishes that he runs no further coaches to King's Lynn Town Football Club fixtures.

"We offer our apologies to any supporters who were alarmed or upset by Saturday's events."

The club has also announced it has won a £71,000 grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund for £71,000 to assist the club with the segregation work that has to be carried out at The Walks stadium. It said the work will be carried out at the Tennyson Road end of the ground as well as part of the covered terraced stand and will include new fencing, turnstiles, toilets and refreshment areas.

Lynn said: "However we must make it clear that as of yet we have not received any monies from the Football Stadia Improvement Trust as planning permission has to be received before the monies are released to the club.

"A planning application has been lodged with the council outlining the plans."