SO the idiot faction of so-called English football fans have brought our country into disrepute again.

Portugal is a beautiful country and the people are extremely nice. But once again the scourge of the English have proved that wherever we go we always have to live up to the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" theme.

I applaud the Portuguese police in the way they handle these scum. I also applaud the precautions in force to prevent soccer hooligans from leaving Britain for Portugal.

What a pity similar precautions are not in place to prevent illegal immigrants entering Britain.

Colin Henson,

Moorcroft Road,

Woodthorpe, York.

Updated: 09:48 Friday, June 18, 2004