MILLWALL chiefs have apologised to disabled Bury soccer fans who were subjected to disgraceful scenes of intimidation and abuse by home supporters.

Four wheelchair-bound members of the Shakers' disabled supporters club and three helpers had to endure a constant stream of taunts about their disabilities from foul-mouthed fans during last Saturday's match at The New Den.

After being herded into the home section of the crowd, they were virtually left unsupervised and claim their protests to stewards were ignored.

Glyn Holland, Bury disabled supporters club secretary, said: "I've been to grounds where our treatment has been mixed, but we've had nothing on the scale suffered by us at the weekend. It was the worst treatment I've ever witnessed.

"We were right at the back of the stand and the Millwall supporters were standing up and trying to come to us. We were separated by netting."

At the start of the match Glyn, aged 28, of Ivy Road, Bury, was ordered to remove the disabled supporters club flag -- because it might have incited the crowd.

The disabled fans were initially supervised by a steward who suddenly disappeared at half-time as the abuse from the crowd continued.

"We saw two Bury police officers who travel to all away games nearby and we tried beckon them to come to us," Glyn added. "But the stewards would not allow them into our section."

He has now received a written and verbal apology from Millwall's full-time safety officer, Ken Chapman, after sending a letter of complaint to the club. Mr Chapman said: "I have sent my sincere regrets to Glyn for the way our fans treated them."

"We have a significant minority of people who can cause problems and I don't pretend otherwise."

He added: "I worry about the type of cretins who find the need to abuse anyone less able-bodied than themselves. I can't excuse the inexcusable."

Mr Chapman said that at future games, disabled Bury supporters would be accommodated in an area in the visitors section of the ground.

And he also accused Bury supporters of "trashing" toilets used by away supporters.

Meanwhile, Bury FC chairman Terry Robinson is forwarding a copy of Glyn Holland's letter to the Football League for their observations.

"Obviously, I deplore anything like that," he said.