A FOOTBALL fan has been left shaken and claimed he was targeted by thieves "due to his support for England".

Officers dedicated to policing Euro 2024 in Essex responded to a number of incidents across the county last night before, during and after the Euros final.

This includes a reported robbery which took place in Southchurch Road, Southend shortly after the match.

A man had his phone and wallet stolen after he was targeted by two suspects.

He reported to police that they targeted him due to his support for England, Essex Police says.

He suffered no injury but has been left shaken. Essex Police officers are carrying out enquiries into the incident. 

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow, who has been leading the policing operation around Euro 2024, said: “I’m pleased to confirm we haven’t seen repeated cases of large-scale disorder, or major incidents, linked to the football in Essex.

“Last night was our busiest night, we did see around 30 incidents linked specifically to the match.

“These were, in the main, a mixture of sporadic disturbances or fights reported at pubs and in streets across Essex. Officers specifically allocated to Euro 2024 were able to effectively respond.

“We had planned for this additional pressure and all incidents were dealt with appropriately, de-escalated and attended where necessary.

“I would thank the vast majority of fans for behaving in a responsible manner throughout the tournament.”