England fans stuck in huge queues ahead of Serbia clash in Euro 2024 chaos

Miserable England fans have reportedly been forced to wait in queues for hours ahead of tonight's Euro 2024 opener.

Gareth Southgate's men take on fellow Group C opponents Serbia in Gelsenkirchen, but lengthy queues have caused problems for fans trying to get to the stadium.

Fans have been spotted standing in lengthy queues near the official fan zone in Gelsenkirchen, as they wait to board public transport to the ground.

And it's been reported that one fan stood for well over an hour before gaining access to public transport.

The official UEFA website states travel to the stadium from the city centre fan zone takes approximately 15 minutes.

But the sheer number of England fans who have descended on the city in North Rhine-Westphalia means hefty delays are causing disruption.

It comes after clashes between England and Serbia fans erupted in the centre of Gelsenkirchen earlier on Sunday afternoon.

Reports claim a bar full of Serbian fans, who were seeking refuge, was smashed up by supporters.

Around 30 police officers were quick to block access to the street, ahead of a fixture that was deemed 'high risk' by local authorities.

A Serbian fan, who was caught up in the violence, told Express.co.uk: "It was a set-up, fans came down a side street and started throwing bottles.

"Our big guys came out of a bar owned by a Serbian guy. They started fighting and then ran off. This is my son's first game. He doesn’t want to go now. He was so scared."

It's also suggested in-fighting between England fans has marred the Group C opener, with Newcastle United and Sunderland fans among those caught up in the skirmishes.

Addressing the clash, a UK Football Policing United spokesperson said: "We are aware of an issue in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the England v Serbia match.

"Our German colleagues have made a number of arrests of what we currently believe to be Serbian supporters. At this stage we do not believe that any UK nationals have been arrested but enquiries are ongoing.

"Our officers are at the location speaking to German colleagues, Our investigation team is now reviewing footage of the incident and if any UK nationals have been involved, football banning orders will be sought."