A GROUP of 150 Sheffield football hooligans were turned back from Burnley after police launched the town's biggest ever swoop on soccer yobs.

The known troublemakers were intercepted at two pubs in Padiham and one in Burnley town centre just hours before the Clarets' clash with Sheffield United at Turf Moor on Saturday.

They were taken out of Lancashire in three coaches and three cars and it is understood they arrived back in Sheffield at 3.30pm. Officers said strong intelligence from hooligan-spotters in Sheffield police left them in no doubt that the 150, who were all men, had attended to create trouble and arrange fights with Burnley hooligans.

The men were searched for weapons and three were arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs, including what is believed to be crack cocaine.

A number are currently banned from attending football matches because of previous convictions of football-related violence.

Chief Inspector Richard Morgan, who oversaw the operation, said he was prepared for complaints about the action but added that his decision was based on a desire to prevent any trouble for genuine football fans and members of the public shopping in the town centre.

He said: "We made the decision to balance the rights of shoppers in Burnley and people wanting to go to watch the match against 150 known football hooligans. The decision was not to let them go to Burnley.

"It was known by the football spotters officers that these people were a known hooligan element of Sheffield United . They were here for one thing and one thing only, and that was to cause disorder."

Two coach-loads of known troublemakers were found at the White Horse pub and the Hand and Shuttle pub in Padiham.

Officers asked the landlords not to serve them and escorted them away on the bus.

The other coachload and 12 who had travelled in cars were found in the Walkabout pub in Hammerton Street, Burnley.

Burnley was rocked by the death of Nathan Shaw, late last year.

The 18-year-old Nottingham Forest fan was hit on the head with a bottle by Burnley supporter Andrew McNee, of Rossendale. McNee was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to manslaughter earlier this year

Mr Morgan said he was determined to prevent another tragedy.

He said: "It is my view that the public and the genuine fan base of Sheffield United and Burnley have a right to expect that Burnley police will take appropriate action to protect their human rights and make a safe environment to enjoy the game.

"We suspect that there may be some complaint from some of these individuals but we are happy with our intelligence."

The swoop comes after a publicity campaign in the past week, as part of the anti-hooligan drive Operation Fixture in Sheffield, conducted by Mr Morgan and his colleagues to deter any known hooligans from trying to travel to Burnley.

This also included letters signed by Mr Morgan being sent to known hooligans telling them not to bother to travel to Burnley. But he said this advice had been ignored.

Mr Morgan said the troublemakers' decision to leave the M65 on the Hapton junction and go into Padiham was in his opinion an attempt to dodge the police which failed.

There were 11,452 supporters at the game, including 1,603 Sheffield United fans. Burnley won the game 3-2.

Matthew Bell, a Sheffield United fan who runs a supporters fanzine called 'Flashing Blade' and who attended the game, said: "We heard there was some police action involving both Yorkshire and Lancashire forces and that there had been three coaches turned away.

"I haven't heard of anything like this before. I don't know whether it is excessive, not knowing who the supporters were who were turned away.

"There is, as there is in any club, a section of supporters who still want to cause violence."