UK pupils hit by ticket scam to go to World Cup

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) Hundreds of British schoolchildren whose dreams of seeing a World Cup game were shattered by an alleged ticket scam will now get to see a match, the government said today.

Some 350 pupils, aged 11 to 15, paid about 400 pounds each for a trip to Germany that included seats for World Cup games.

They returned home bitterly disappointed at the weekend after the agencies involved failed to supply the tickets.

They will now be going as a result of what Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said had been an ''incredible effort'' by ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn spoke personally to FIFA president Sepp Blatter and FIFA has agreed to supply tickets to a variety of games, the spokesman told reporters.

British Airways has offered to transport most of the pupils, with other arrangements being made for other children.

The children, from a range of English schools, are believed to have been caught up in an international ticket scam, which police are investigating.

Parents had said the children were left bitterly disappointed after looking forward to the games for months.

Reuters DH RS1743