Benefits threat to jobless fans

The lure of the action could cost jobless fans their benefits

Unemployed England supporters attending the Euro 2000 tournament risk losing their welfare benefits under a new crackdown on fraud.

The move is not just aimed at fans convicted of hooliganism - even those who stay out of trouble would be affected.

The measure is being introduced by the government, which says those without a job who go to matches in Holland and Belgium cannot be available for work at the same time.

It is thought the country loses more than £1.7bn each year due to benefit fraud, and the measure is being seen as an eye-catching move in the fight against welfare cheats.

Benefits fraud costs the country more than £1.7bn-a-year

Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling told the Independent on Sunday that unemployed fans who are traced to Euro 2000 will lose their Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance if they cannot prove they are seeking work.

Mr Darling said: "If you manage to get over there to see Euro 2000 matches, we will find out about it. You will lose benefit because you have broken the rules."

Friends of fans are being urged to identify anyone breaking the rules.

Mr Darling is expected to announce the crackdown on benefit fraud at an anti-fraud summit in Whitehall on Monday.

He told the newspaper he was transferring up to 3,000 staff out of headquarters offices into the frontline to check on claims and follow up suspected fraud.

England's Euro 2000 campaign starts on Monday when the team plays Portugal in Eindhoven.

Tear gas

Up to 17,000 England fans travelling without tickets are expected in the city for the match.

Dutch police are warning potential troublemakers they will meet violence with violence.

Over £10m has been spent by police on extra security measures for the tournament.

Eindhoven Police spokesman Johann Beelen said: "Eindhoven police is known as friendly but strict so we will be there in normal dress. But if there is trouble we will arrest them or we will come down on them hard."

The Dutch police warning came as their Brussels counterparts used tear gas to disperse crowds after a stand-off with fans after Belgium's 2-1 win over Sweden.

Arrests after the opening match

Officers in riot gear fired tear gas to disperse thousands of rowdy soccer fans when flag-waving turned into bottle-throwing within hours of Belgium's 2-1 win over Sweden.

On Saturday about two dozen suspected English football hooligans were turned back at the Dutch and Belgian borders.

Their names were on a list of known or suspected hooligans passed to police in the host counties.

Two UK soccer thugs travelling to Belgium on the Eurostar were also turned back after being spotted by British Transport Police.

Other convicted hooligans were ejected from Holland after being intercepted at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.

Eindhoven has so far been peaceful and no English fans have been arrested in the city.

Police are operating a zero tolerance policy and people will be arrested for minor offences such as swearing at police, urinating in the street or not carrying a passport.

Over 2,000 police officers will line Eindhoven's streets to prevent trouble erupting between rival fans.