THREE men were due to appear in court today charged with violent disorder following a racially motivated rampage in Burnley town centre after England's opening World Cup match.

Kieron McCallion, 31, of Dalton Street, Burnley, Andrew Emmett, 29, of Reed Street, Burnley, and Russell Moorhouse, 34, of Ridge Avenue, Burnley, were all arrested on Monday following an appeal for information and pictures of the suspected troublemakers were published in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

All three men were expected to appear before Burnley magistrates charged with violent disorder.

A fourth man, a juvenile, was also arrested and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries. Police have said further arrests were expected in the next few days.

Police appealed for calm after a group of about 40 drunken yobs went on the rampage following the England Sweden clash on Sunday, June 2.

Thugs smashed up taxis and assaulted drivers in what police described as racially motivated violence following the England Sweden clash on Sunday, June 2.

A group of 40 people who had been in Paradise Island, Bull Street, made their way to Croft Street and attacked taxi drivers around 5pm.

In a second incident minutes later police dispersed two gangs of white men fighting at the junction of Manchester Road and St James Street.