It has been a long held tradition that fans run onto the pitch at half time

A ban on the age-old tradition was introduced last month by the committee responsible for ground safety.

But youngsters ignored pleas to stay in the stands prompting a further meeting of police, council, ambulance and fire officials with the club.

Some fans are angry at what they claim is 'officialdom run riot'.

They argue that children have gone onto the pitch at the interval for as long as anyone can remember.

We are all working together for the health and safety of the fans and players and the future of the club Stuart Gallacher, Llanelli Scarlets

But Llanelli Scarlets officials have urged supporters to respect the rules otherwise the 10,800 capacity could be cut.

Phil Crayford, divisional officer for the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said he was not surprised fans ignored the ban at the last home game.

Stuart Gallacher is appealing for fans to stay off the pitch

"We expected this to happen as there is always a blip with any new system.

"We hope that now the spectators at Stradey Park have had their say they will respect it."

Half-time entertainment

The Carmarthenshire Safety Committee was set-up after national guidelines for sports stadiums were introduced following the Hillsborough disaster.

Committee chairwoman Sue Watts said if spectators continued to invade the field at half-time then they would have to look at the capacity of the ground.

"We are all working together for the health and safety of the fans and players and the future of the club," she said.

Most games at Stradey fail to fill the ground to full capacity but matches in the Heineken European Cup are often sell-outs so a crowd cut would hit the club in the pocket.

Scarlets' chief executive Stuart Gallacher said the club would be introducing half-time entertainment in a bid to keep fans off the pitch.

"It was an amicable meeting and I understand exactly where the safety committee are coming from," he said.

"My concerns now are that if we do not adhere to the recommendations we will be putting the capacity at Stradey at jeopardy.