Bolton Wanderers players were thrown off the train yesterday - by a bunch of elderly holidaymakers!

Bolton's squad of millionaires were left milling around with punters at Preston station for almost three hours after Virgin Trains messed up twice. Bolton forked out nearly £4,000 for two first-class carriages to take the team to Edinburgh for last night's friendly against Hearts.

Gary Megson's players were stunned when they were turfed off the train after elderly holidaymakers refused to budge from the pre-booked seats.

Virgin officials then told the team to wait another hour for the next train - but this time it was too small to fit them on.

Embarrassed Virgin offered to escort them on a third train but furious Megson bailed out and took an exhausting 158-mile bus ride to the Scottish capital.

He said: "It's disgraceful. What should have been a nice and easy two-hour journey became a seven-hour camel trek."

Virgin have offered free seats as an apology but Bolton will take a coach back to Lancashire later today.

A Virgin Trains spokesman said: "We're disappointed we let Bolton down on this one occasion."