Party-goers barred by pub for wearing England shirts

Nick Askey, 33, had arranged to see his friends after returning from a five- month tour of Europe.

But he said the party was ruined when they were refused entry for sporting England shirts - despite the fact several drinkers inside the pub were wearing the shirts of other countries.

Staff at the Casa bar, in York city centre, said they had been forced to take action after earlier violence involving people wearing England shirts - but claimed they had not noticed any other football strips on the premises.

"I couldn't believe they were turning England fans away after such a victory," said Mr Askey, of Main Street, Stockton-on-the-Forest, near Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

"It really got our backs up when we looked through the window and saw people in Italy and Brazil shirts.

"My father had to drive into town with another top for my brother because he was wearing an England shirt.

"It marred the whole day because we all got split up.

"This policy probably causes more trouble than it stops."

Harry Owen, from York, was also turned away for wearing a shirt. "There was no consistency," he said. "How can they let in people wearing Brazil shirts, but not England?"

But Casa manager Gaynor Marshall said a decision was taken to stop England fans getting in following several violent incidents.

Police arrested 45 people for public order offences in the centre of York following England's victory and extra officers had to be drafted in.

"We had England fans inside throwing chairs around and fighting among themselves in the toilet," said Miss Marshall.

"Once the trouble started no one was let in until it had emptied a bit.

"After 7pm we have a smart dress policy anyway. It was a nightmare for those England fans who weren't causing trouble, but what could we do? I never spotted anyone wearing foreign shirts."

Mr Askey added: "We're not hooligans but patriotic fans who want to wear our country's shirt."