NEW LAW TO PREVENT RIP-OFF PRICES

Our Stub Out the Touts campaign hailed a success, Greedy resale swindle is finally coming to an end

- CHRIS MCCALL

THE UK Government will today announce a crackdown on ticket touts in a victory for the Record's long-running campaign to stop music fans being ripped off.

Labour ministers will confirm plans to make it illegal for briefs to live music, theatre, comedy, sport and other major events to be resold for more than their original cost.

The new rules will mean ticket resale above face value will be illegal - defined in law as the original ticket price plus unavoidable fees, including service charges.

It comes after years of complaints from music fans who miss out on the most popular tours due to ticket touts who hoover up briefs using computer bots.

The same scalpers then flood the resale market with tickets at vastly inflated prices.