RACIST chants from the York City terraces at the home clash with Luton Town have prompted a warning from the club it will come down hard on those responsible.

A spokesman for York City FC said it would step up stewarding at games at Bootham Crescent in an attempt to identify and punish the culprits.

The issue came to light when it was raised by a supporter at a fans’ forum hosted by the club on Wednesday.

The Press has also received an email from a supporter who attended Tuesday night’s game, who said he saw a group of 20 or more people repeatedly singing racist chants, shouting racist abuse and making monkey noises aimed at Luton Town’s fans and players.

Sophie Hicks, communication and community director at York City, said: “A supporter made me aware of the situation after the game. It was restricted to a small group who were in the far side of the David Longhurst Stand.”

Mrs Hicks said she told the forum that the club would “take a very hard line on such behaviour”.

She said: “I’m told there was one man of about 40 and the rest were impressionable teenagers of about 14 or 15.

“We will be re-briefing our stewards on the issue and will be increasing stewarding in this area for future games.

“If racist chanting is heard within the ground it will lead to ejection and a ban from the club.

“Racism in any form will not be tolerated at York City Football Club.”

She described the City squad as very multicultural and said the current board had worked hard to promote anti-racism.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “We will not tolerate incidents of hate crime and would encourage victims to report incidents to us so we can investigate them fully.

“We will come down hard on this.”

• BANNING orders slapped on eight York City fans three years ago have expired, meaning they are free to attend matches again.

The group were given the punishments after trouble at an away match against Oxford United in 2006.

The orders were set the following February, lasting for three years.