A DARWEN councillor today gave his backing to under-fire England fans as he returned from a week of football fever in Portugal.

Sunnyhurst ward councillor David Smith said he was wearing his Blackburn Rovers shirt with pride as he mingled with European fans at six matches at the Euro 2004 tournament.

The dedicated follower of football spent a week in Oporto watching matches including England's victory against Switzerland and games involving Greece, Spain, Croatia, Germany, Holland and Italy.

He said police presence was stepped up for the big-name clashes but, overall, fans had been well behaved during the tournament's first week.

"The atmosphere was brilliant and most of the real football fans are enjoying the tournament," he said. "It seems to be more tourists getting drunk and associating themselves with the football crowds who are causing trouble."

Portuguese police have been working with English officers to stamp out trouble, with mounted police and riot officers patrolling the streets in the southern resort of Albufeira in recent days.

But in the more northern stadiums of Dragao, Bessa, Coimbra, Guimaraes, and Leiria, it was all cheering and chants.

"We took a huge England flag with us, with the Blackburn Rovers web site on it. I wore my Rovers shirt most of the time. It was so friendly chatting with everyone, it really was great."

Mr Smith has travelled abroad several times supporting Rovers, in France, Bulgaria and Turkey, but this is the first time he has made it to an international tournament.

Tickets for the games in Portugal ranged from five to 35 Euros - but English matches were sold out and black market tickets were changing hands for hundreds of pounds.

For Coun Smith, it was back to the TV coverage for last night's England triumph over Croatia.