Contractors could not believe their luck when they saw an advert inviting them to put just 2,000 seats in a football stadium - in return for £40 million.

The notice for Brighton and Hove Albion's Withdean stadium appeared in trade magazine Contract Journal inviting tenders for the job.

Seagulls' accountants were a little startled to find the club was about to spend millions on some seats.

But a mix-up with the sums had included the figures for the cost of the proposed new stadium at Falmer.

The announcement should have invited tenders for the £750,000 job.

There were raised eyebrows and chuckles when The Argus pointed out the error to the Albion and the scheme's architect Andy Simon, of KSS Design Group.

One club insider said: "Blimey, £40 million for 2,000 seats? Fans would be sitting in leather armchairs with footrests for that kind of money."

Martin Perry, Albion chief executive, said: "They've mixed up the additional seating with the new stadium."

Work on the additional seating, at the West end of the Withdean ground, was expected to start in the summer but Mr Perry said a proposed new park-and-ride scheme might have to be sorted out first.

He said: "We have got to get planning permission and the scheme is going to committee on April 27."