I changed my moms front brake pads on her 04 fiesta, after fitting them took it down the road to find the pedal feel had gone spongy compared to before, ideas why they would go spongy when they wasn't like it before

 

Sounds like you could have air in the system, try bleeding them and see if that helps.

 

They will feel spongy for the first few miles until they start bedding in.

 

That too^ take it easy for the first couple of hundred miles.

 

have told her that as remember my focus's brakes feeling a bit spongy for the 1st couple of weeks, see how they go for a bit

 

Ye just make sure she takes it easy on them for the first 200 miles or so, if they are still bad after that then she could have a problem.