A mum of a football mascot who attended a charity match at St Mary’s Stadium last week has said she is “disgusted” after the event was cancelled early due to a pitch invasion.

On Saturday, June 7, a charity match was organised at the home of Southampton Football Club by popular YouTuber, PieFace23.

The match ended early in the second half due to a waterlogged pitch, but a planned meet and greet between the 22 mascots and players was cancelled at the last minute after hundreds of fans invaded the pitch at full-time.

Laura Bucknell, 37, was left helpless in the stands as her 12-year-old son, Reggie, who was celebrating his birthday by taking part in the £165 mascot experience, was quickly ushered off the pitch and down the tunnel by staff.

Speaking to the Echo, Laura said: “Southampton Football Club should be ashamed with themselves.

“Even when we were queueing for the turnstile outside, the fire doors were opened, and everyone just bombarded the two doors.  

“My son suffers with ADHD and autism, and he was crammed between me and his father.

READ MORE: Fans launch pitch invasion after YouTuber's charity match at St Mary's

A waterlogged pitch forced the charity match to be called off early before fans invaded the pitch at full-time (Image: Supplied) “That seemed to set the tone for the day because then the match was cancelled early due to a waterlogged pitch, which I understand can’t be helped.

“However, there were loads of unattended teenagers without any adults and they all ran onto the pitch at full-time, so the mascots had to quickly be taken down the tunnel.

“Even the players were being jumped on by fans who wanted to meet them, and they had to be carried off.”

With a planned meet and greet with the players cancelled due to “health and safety concerns,” Laura said she’d never attend a charity match at St Mary’s again.

She said: “I’ll never attend one of these events at the stadium again.

“There weren’t enough staff to deal with the situation and there was no thought for people’s health and safety.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for Southampton Football Club said: “The event on Saturday, June 7, was organised externally and not run by the club.

“At the end of the event, a pitch incursion occurred, leading the organiser, in agreement with Southampton Football Club, cancelled the meet and greet in the interest of protecting player safety"

“Tickets were sold by the external organisation in line with our club policy requiring Under-14s to be accompanied by an adult.

“As a club we provided matchday stewards based on the number of people attending and we quickly managed the incursion, ensuring no injuries or damage to the pitch. The club also issued announcements reminding attendees not to go on the pitch.”