"SEAMAN our hero!" was the united cry from jubilant English soccer fans on Saturday evening.

Blackburn town centre emptied in the afternoon as supporters gathered in pubs and homes to watch the England v Spain Euro 96 showdown.

Fans from Blackburn were on the edge of their seats in The Brewer's, on Church Street, when they tuned into the match on a large screen.

And super-goalie David Seaman could not be praised highly enough for his part in keeping the nation's dream alive. "Seaman was a hero, he saved the day," said Alan Smith, from Blackburn, after the penalty shoot-out. "It was a storming game - real heart-attack stuff. We were all having palpitations."

"The game was slow at the start and the atmosphere here was so tense," said Paul Riley, also from Blackburn. "In the second half it picked up. David Seaman was brilliant."

Mark Evans said: "The penalty shoot-out was really nerve-racking. I was glad for Stuart Pearce when he got the penalty after he didn't score in the 1990 World Cup."

Police reported no trouble after the match or on Saturday night.

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