HOME Secretary Jack Straw today recalled his terror on the tube when he was caught up in running battles between rival England and Scotland fans as he urged people to shop thugs before the World Cup in France.

The Blackburn MP launched a special hooligan hotline - 0800 515495 - as he opened a major international conference on policing football at the town's Ewood Park soccer ground.

Fans can pass on information about potential troublemakers who could cause violence at the summer event on free, confidential 24-hour line.

Urging people to make use of it to help prevent violence in France, Mr Straw also recalled seeing football hooliganism at first hand in what he called "the most terrifying tube journey I have ever experienced. He said: "It was the England game against Scotland at Wembley in 1988 and I took my son William, who was just seven and a half. We started on the Jubilee line and saw terrible running fights along the platform between hooligans and police officers.

"We changed at Baker Street to get on the overground Metropolitan line train and there we saw England and Scotland fans who were completely drunk. They were openly doing things like urinating into each other's pockets right in front of women and children.

"They were standing on top of seats singing, shouting, swearing and starting fights. It was just awful."

Mr Straw hopes that the hotline, similar to a scheme used successfully during the Euro 96 tournament in England will help prevent violence.

And he hopes to secure a deal with the French authorities to prevent convicted hooligans from returning to France to cause more trouble.

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