GENEROUS supporters answered a desperate plea to help a family of Australian Saints fans who flew thousands of miles to watch their team – only to find the game was sold out.

The Pibworth family flew for 22 hours from their home in Perth, Western Australia, with the hope of watching Saints take on Ipswich Town in the FA Cup third round yesterday, writes RORY McKEOWN.

But they were shocked to find the tie was a sell out, due to adult tickets costing just £10 and £3 for under-17s.

James Pibworth managed to buy two tickets but was unable to buy the four more he needed for the rest of his family.

Ahead of the game, the family even made a makeshift poster appealing for spare tickets.

Eventually James looked for the Daily Echo to help and an online appeal on dailyecho.co.uk was answered by two Saints fans.

It meant James, his wife Carla, and children George,7, Loui, 5, and Luca, 4, who all bought Saints shirts ahead of the tie, could all get in.

James, originally from Southampton, said: “We were very lucky.

“Someone in the Waterfront pub gave us his two spare season tickets, and his friend had another two for us.

“They just gave them to us as they wanted us to enjoy the game.

“We managed to meet some nice Saints fans and that’s why we are such a great club. They didn’t even take my money – it wasn’t about that for them.”

James said the family hopes to watch Saints again next year – and insists he will book tickets before hoping on another long-haul flight.

He added: “My four year old was singing along and my seven year old is so happy he has seen Tadic and Pelle – they are in awe.

“We watch the games on television every Saturday and even supported them when they were in League One.

“We are going to come back next Christmas and we will book the games in advance!”