HUNDREDS of drunken English football supporters went on the rampage in London, the West Midlands and the Thames Valley last night, following their team's defeat by Germany in the semifinals of the European Championships after a penalty shoot out.
About 20 cars were damaged in London's West End as youths fought running battles with police. The London Ambulance Service took more than 200 calls in the 30 minutes after midnight and at one point every ambulance in the capital was out on call. More than 40 people were treated in hospitals as a result of the disturbances.
Police in the Thames Valley were swamped with 999 calls as gangs of youths ran through the streets smashing shop windows.
In Brighton, seven English supporters had to be rescued after they jumped off the end of the pier following their team's defeat.
Earlier, at Wembley Stadium, it was like history repeating itself for the England team. As in Italia 1990, the German goalkeeper saved a penalty, English tears flowed, the dream was shattered.
With heads in their hands, the English fans fried to comfort each other. "At least we went out in style", gasped one supporter.
In spite of days of hype and the tabloid declarations of war England had failed to qualify for the Euro 96 final. At the end of 120 minutes of football and a goal apiece, Germany beat England 6-5 on penalties.
It had all begun so well. At 7.30 p.m., England ground to a halt. In London, West End shows played to almost empty houses and only American tourists were shopping.
As the 76,000 fans at Wembley waved their flags an estimated 20 million people were watching the game on television. In London, English fans without tickets congregated around 20 televisions at the Football Football theme restaurant in Leicester Square to savour every moment of the match.