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Lucy Marshall

Woman's fury as Leeds Kings of Leon gig 'ruined' as she was sworn at and told to sit down

A Kings of Leon fan was "so excited" to see the band at Leeds Arena before turning "so mad" when she was told to sit down.

Michelle Askham, who lives in Bradford, had been looking forward to a night filled with singing and dancing alongside her favourite band on Tuesday (June 14) at the First Direct Arena. But, when the music blared in the Arena Way venue, "no one was dancing".

The band were three songs into their set list so Michelle and her partner decided to stand up and dance. "I thought we'll get up and other people will do the same", she said.

Read more: Leeds Bradford Airport 'mid week mayhem' with snaking car park queues and four hour delays

But one group were less than impressed and told the couple to sit down adding that they had paid for seated viewing. Michelle added: "I was very confused no one was dancing.

"I thought perhaps people just felt a little uneasy and were waiting for more people to stand. With that I mind I thought we'll get up and hopefully other people will do the same.

"I just remember hearing lots of noise from behind and being tapped on my shoulder, I was confused at first and then realised I was being told to sit down. When I stood up a group of around six people in the row behind asked me to sit down. Well, we didn't pay £50 to sit twiddling our thumbs.

"One male of the group then made some comments to my partner while his female friend said to me that we have paid fifty some pounds to watch this. I just said 'you make sure you enjoy yourself and have a good eve', and I sat down.

"I was called a d***head. It just completely ruined it for me, more people near us started to stand but I felt like I couldn't."

The couple said they moved and stood in the disabled access area so they could dance together. Michelle added that she wanted to take lots of pictures on the night but was "so mad" she "never got her phone out again".

She added: "Every concert I've ever been to people stand & dance so I never gave it a second thought. I think I'll still buy seated based on the fact it's the first time it's happened. If it happens again I may have to reconsider.

"I had been so excited to see them, and to have to move to enjoy ourselves really annoyed me. Why is their seat more important than mine? Surely you go there expecting people to be stood dancing, singing, waving their arms and just generally enjoying the band they have paid to see."

And it seems like Michelle isn't the only one who felt this way during the concert. Responding to a tweet Michelle shared about her experience, Danny Meryl: "My wife had asked the row behind her if they minded her getting up and dancing and were fine.

"Then a bloke two rows behind told her the standing area was on the floor and proceeded to throw things at her when she kept standing up." And Lizzy Marie added: "That is actually awful I hope she is okay. I hope she enjoyed herself despite them."

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