PUPILS who were cheated out of World Cup tickets are returning to Germany thanks to the intervention of PM Tony Blair.

The 11 Banbury schoolchildren had travelled the first time to Germany but were left without tickets because of an international scam. Now they are flying back to see a quarter-final match this weekend.

The youngsters, aged between 11 and 14 from Drayton School, were among 380 British children caught in the same situation so when Tony Blair heard of their plight, he vowed to try to help them out.

And after Government talks with Fifa, the pupils have now been guaranteed seats.

Craig Burrows, head of PE at Drayton School, said: "They are ecstatic, totally over the moon. We couldn't believe what's happened.

"When the tickets failed to materialise the first time, the kids were absolutely gutted. They had been thinking about nothing else for weeks.

"But when we got back our story seemed to get a lot of press coverage and Tony Blair got involved. We were delighted to hear we had quarter-finals tickets." Year Nine pupil Jack Goode, 14, from Banbury, said: "I think it's brilliant news. We were so gutted last time after travelling all the way out there and not seeing any football.

"We are all really hoping we get to see England play in the quarter-finals. The atmosphere would be amazing."

The school party is flying to Germany courtesy of British Airways.

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of obtaining money by deception in connection with the World Cup tickets scam.

A 38-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman have been arrested in Slough, said police.