Football fans killed in crash

Police were investigating today after three football fans died in a car crash as they returned home from watching England's World Cup qualifying match at Wembley.

The men, aged 21, 23 and 25 and from Bradford, West Yorkshire, suffered fatal head and internal injuries when the Ford Mondeo they were in left the northbound carriageway of the M1 and crashed into a road sign at about 9.40pm last night.

Police said it was believed the silver car was travelling in the fast lane of the motorway before the accident at junction 32, near to the exit slip road to the M18, in South Yorkshire.

The men were on their way back from London after watching England beat Kazakhstan 5-1 at Wembley stadium.

A police spokesman said: "They were returning home after watching the England football team at Wembley."

The spokesman said it was believed the Mondeo was travelling in the fast lane before it moved across the motorway to the hard shoulder, where it went over a barrier and struck a road sign.

It is not yet known who was driving the car.

"An investigation is under way to establish the cause of the crash," the spokesman said.

Police said relatives of the men had been informed but their names would not be released until they had been formally identified.

Anyone who saw the collision is asked to contact South Yorkshire Police.