Jamie Vardy's wife Rebekah 'tear-gassed' by French police amid Euro 2016 fan violence

The Leicester star's wife was caught up in a police crackdown as football fans clashed ahead of England's opening match against Russia

Leicester star Jamie and wife Rebekah Vardy (Getty)

The wife of England and Leicester player Jamie Vardy has described how she was tear-gassed as violence erupted before England’s Euro 2016 match with Russia.

Taking to Twitter, Rebekah Vardy wrote: "That has to be up there with the worst experience EVER at an away game! “Teargassed for no reason, caged and treated like animals! Shocking! “

And this happened before the game even kicked off!” The 34-year-old was in Marseille to watch her husband Jamie play for England, although he remained on the bench during the 1-1 draw. Expressing her anger and disgust at the way fans were treated ahead of the match, she said it was “horrific and uncalled for”.

In response to a message from TV presenter Piers Morgan on Twitter, she said French authorities "closed the gates so the fans couldn't get through then teargassed us."

Water cannon and tear gas were used as fist fights and bottle-throwing broke out between the England supporters and their Russian and French counterparts in Marseille's Old Port before the match had started.

Now Uefa has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Russian Football Union following scenes of violence which marred the actual Euro match on Saturday night.

The disorder at the 67,000-capacity ground came after a third day of violent clashes between rival fans and locals on the streets of Marseille left one England fan critically ill in hospital. French police said 35 people in total had been injured, with eight arrested.

A Uefa spokesman said: "Uefa expresses its utter disgust for the violent clashes that occurred in the city centre of Marseille, and its serious concern for the incidents at the end of the match inside Stade Velodrome. "This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable and has no place in football.