WORLD CUP thugs brought shame on East Lancashire today as pictures of people in local soccer shirts caught up in violence clashes were seen across the country.Home Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw led the condemnation of the people behind violent clashes in Marseille before today's game against Tunisia.

And it was revealed Lancashire police are working with the French authorities to identify known troublemakers, who face being banned by local clubs if they are found guilty of violent offences.

Police have confirmed that 49 people were arrested, including 27 from Britain and at least 32 were injured.

A spokesman for the FA in Paris said: "At present we cannot tell how many of the 49 people arrested are from Lancashire. We are very busy and we have the game this afternoon to consider.

"We are talking about a minority of English fans, and while the hardcore hooligan element were involved, there was extreme provocation from local trouble-makers. There was also a long period of time when the English fans showed great restraint.

"These were serious incidents but the majority of fans were well behaved." PC Stuart Rutlidge, football liaison officer for Burnley police said: "People from East Lancashire were caught up in the trouble in Marseille last night. That much is clear from the pictures.

"The French authorities have been too busy to process all those arrested at present, but they will be dealt with through the French justice system.

"We will be telling clubs including Burnley FC about the offenders, and it will be up to the club to decide what action they will take. But banning them from attending games is certainly not out of the question."

Home Secretary Jack Straw said:"There is no doubt at all there are hooligans, criminals actually, who are known to the National Criminal Intelligence who are there and certainly intent of fomenting violence."

Mr Straw announced that fans arriving in Marseille would be escorted by police straight to the ground where England play Tunisia and then straight back to the plane.

Burnley MP Peter Pike said:"I think this is very sad. These people are not football fans but thugs."

The worried mother of an East Lancashire fan who arrived in Marseille on Sunday was today trying to contact her son on his mobile telephone. Christine Rafferty, of Whalley Road, Accrington, is concerned about 23-year-old Burnley fan Michael, his fiancee Gemma Palmer, 21, and their friend Graham Holmes, who travelled to France over the weekend.

She said: "I've just seen some of the scenes on television and they're absolutely horrendous, I think any mother would be frightened for her child's safety.

"Michael and Gemma are very sensible and would walk away from any trouble but you can get caught up in these things can't you?."

Mrs Rafferty said Michael phoned her at 4pm on Sunday when he arrived in Marseille.

She added: "To say they arrived safely and booked into a Eurosites camp. They said there were many different nationalities but everyone was friendly and they were all looking forward to the match.

Sickened Clitheroe mayor John McGowan is to write to the French authorities "apologising unreservedly" for last night's rioting by British hooligans.

He is to write to civic leaders of Rivesaltes, Clitheroe's twin town, which is on the South Coast of France.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.