OVER 100 Somerset football fans will be unable to travel overseas for the duration of England’s participation in the 2016 UEFA European Championship.


Fans in the county with football banning orders will be required to hand in their passports to Avon and Somerset Constabulary before June 1.


Not only are they not allowed to travel to France for the tournament, but they will not be allowed to travel anywhere overseas when England are playing abroad.


Chief Inspector Oliver Cosgrove, silver commander for the Euro 2016 policing operation said: “We are rolling out well-rehearsed plans for the tournament which takes place in France. 


“We hope that it will be a successful and enjoyable tournament for fans, who will put fun and enjoyment at the top of their agenda.


“More than 100 people in the force area now have football banning orders as a result of football-related incidents which are actively stopping them from enjoying their football and also places restrictions on them travelling abroad.”


There are currently 103 people with football banning orders in the Avon and Somerset force area.


Football banning orders are not issued purely as a result of incidents committed at football matches. 


They can also be provided as a result of other types of football-related disorder, for instance, anyone going to watch a match on a television in a public place and causes trouble could find themselves with a FBO.


The police will also step up their presence on home soil during the tournament.


CI Cosgrove added: “We will not tolerate and football-related anti-social behaviour or violence in Avon and Somerset, whether out in the community or behind closed doors at home and will deal robustly with such problems. 


“We have demonstrated during two largescale football disorder incidents during the past 36 months that we have a zero tolerance approach to football disorder and hooliganism in Avon and Somerset and will deal with perpetrators.”