POLICE and trading standards officers have launched an investigation into claims up to 20 Muse fans were left without tickets and out of pocket after buying them online.

The fans were left disappointed and unable to watch the group perform at Teignmouth over the weekend after booking through a ticket website www.museboxoffice.com

Daniel Tanner, 21, from Preston and his 17-year-old twin brothers, Matt and Sam, found out just two hours before the gig that their tickets would not be available for them to pick up on the gate as promised.

"The tickets just didn't exist," explained a disappointed Daniel.

"We didn't find out until the last moment, everything seemed fine, I had been getting emails from them and the website seemed very, very professional.

"But I got a call when we were at the venue saying they were not able to provide the tickets and I would get a full refund."

Inspector Glen Mayhew, from Torquay Police station, confirmed a joint investigation between Teignmouth CID and Trading Standards will be launched in the wake of a number of complaints about tickets.

He said: "I am aware the complaints are about www.museboxoffice.com, that is the only website we have had a complaint about and if people come up with other websites we will look into those also.

"We are asking people to contact their credit card companies to alert them and then to go to their local police stations. The investigation will be coordinated by Teignmouth CID," he said.

He explained that police had worked with trading standards officers on both nights of the concerts, seizing counterfeit T-shirts being sold around the town.

Insp Mayhew said the police were treating the ticket sales as 'deception' and that he believed there were about 20 people affected.

He added: "There was no issue with vast numbers coming through the gates like we get at some events, but I would expect more to come forward in the week."

A Muse spokesman urged people buying tickets to do so via the official Muse website.

Daniel explained that he paid for the tickets by credit card and when phoning them about it, they were already aware of a company who pulled tickets for a festival last year.

"After what I was told by Barclaycard, I don't think I'll get a refund," he said.

"Without us telling them anything Barclaycard knew what emails we'd received and where the money had been paid out to."

He added: "I am a Muse fan and it was the first time I would have seen them. I'm gutted and so are my brothers."

Jodie McIver also booked tickets through the website and said the night she was looking forward to turned into one of the worst nights of her life.

"I brought one ticket for my boyfriend because I managed to get one off a friend," she said.

"They let me know half an hour before the gates opened that I would not be getting the ticket. Me and my boyfriend were so excited to see them and it ended up being one of the worst days ever.

"I had to go in by myself and watch Muse while my boyfriend waited outside for five hours."

Muse had put out a warning about secondary ticket websites in June.

A message posted on the Muse website forum on June 8 read: "It has come to our attention that a number of secondary ticket websites are claiming to have Muse tickets for sale.

"We'd just like to make it clear that these websites have nothing to do with the band or management and we would strongly recommend against anyone purchasing tickets from these sites.

"Companies using the Muse name or logo are not affiliated to the band and there can be no guarantee that tickets bought from these agents will be legitimate. If in doubt, only purchase from the ticket agents linked to from muse.mu."

The Herald Express has tried to email the website www.museboxoffice.com but have had no response.