FOUR North-East men were yesterday banned from travelling to England matches in the Euro 2004 football championships after alleged hooliganism.

Paul Hind, 38, Michael Hutchinson, 37, Christopher O'Brien, 23, and Jeffery Wake, 28, were also banned from attending Hartlepool United matches home or away for two-and-a-half years.

The four appeared at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court after police asked for the ban ahead of the tournament, which begins next month.

Police supplied video evidence that allegedly showed the men behaving violently at Hartlepool United matches home and away for a period dating back more than two years.

The video evidence was not shown in court, but was accepted by the men and their lawyers yesterday, and all four agreed to accept the ban.

Two of the men, Hind and Hutchinson, were recently convicted for racist chanting at a match last September between Hartlepool and Oldham Athletic.

Yesterday's banning means none of the four will be able to attend any Hartlepool United or England matches until November 27, 2006, which also means they will be unable to attend the 2006 World Cup. They will also be unable to enter most of Hartlepool town centre from four hours before any Hartlepool game and for four hours after kick-off during the same period.

Speaking in court yesterday, John Relton, representing Hind, of Honiton Way, Hutchinson, of Newquay Close, O'Brien, of High Street, Greatham, and Wake, of Houghton Street, all Hartlepool, said the men accepted the police evidence and the ban.

They were each ordered to pay £450 costs.