Hundreds of pubs across the region will be opening as early as 6.30am for football fans to watch the action in Japan and South Korea.

Magistrates have been inundated with applications from landlords eager to extend their opening hours and serve breakfast beer.

The floodgates opened last month when the High Court ruled that the World Cup was a special event, paving the way for early morning drinking.

Courts in County Durham have so far dealt with 500 applications, all of which have been accepted, and more are expected.

Brin Jones, head of finance for County Durham magistrates courts, said they were considering holding extra court sessions to cope with the demand.

"Customers are clearly speaking to licensees and saying they want to watch the matches."

Chief Inspector Laz Szomoru, who has responsibility for licensing in Durham and Chester-le-Street, said police had not raised objections to extension applications. However, they were continuing to consider each on its individual merits.

The Old England, in Front Street at Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, County Durham, is applying for a licence to open early so it can show the World Cup on its big screen.

Pub manager Fred Barkess said: "It's heaving in here when Newcastle and Sunderland matches are on. It's that type of village, there's a bit of rivalry. But everybody will be pulling together for this one and there will be no rivalry. We'll have flags up.

"We haven't costed the price but it will be competitive. It will be a full English breakfast. There will be no sushi. We're not expecting any Japanese in.''

More unusual venues are also gearing up for the football jamboree. customers at Little Chef roadside restaurants at Skeeby, near Richmond, and Rainton, on the A1 in North Yorkshire, can watch matches on 28in widescreen television sets.

Those believing the England team needs a little divine intervention can also see all the group stage matches on a big screen at Westborough Methodist Church, Scarborough, North Yorkshire.