COLDPLAY - COLDPLAY SET UP INTERNET AUCTION SITE

British rockers COLDPLAY have set up an internet auction site dedicated to their forthcoming US tour to stop fans being "ripped off".

The CLOCKS hitmakers, fronted by CHRIS MARTIN, were frustrated that many fans were left ticketless due to corrupt auction websites.

So, for next year's (06) dates, the band are auctioning off some tickets on a secure site and donating the proceeds to charity.

A statement on the band's official website reads, "Whenever we put our tickets up for sale an enormous amount of them end up being sold on.

"We have given a small number of tickets for the next North American tour to Ticketmaster to auction through a legitimate auction site that they have set up just for Coldplay of which a portion of the proceeds from these auctions will be donated to charity.

"Again this part of our on-going plan to make sure as many tickets get into real fans' hands and to stop scalpers making money and making fans miserable."