Three arrested over attack on fans

French police have arrested three men following a gang attack on a bar packed with English football fans in Lyon.

Tottenham Hotspur fans said around 50 masked men, some making Nazi salutes, smashed doors and threw chairs, wooden objects and a flare into the Smoking Dog pub where up to 150 supporters had gathered ahead a match against the French side.

Rhone police prefect Jean-Pierre Cazenave-Lacrouts told Sky News that officers have detained three Frenchmen, including one who is a member of a far-right organisation, and two fans of Lyon.

Tottenham Hotspur said club officials attended the incident where three of their fans sustained "minor injuries".

Eyewitnesses inside the pub, popular with ex-pats, said the thugs attacked the bar at 10.18pm on Wednesday night and then returned shortly after to launch another assault on the pub, which was damaged extensively as a result.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are aware of reports of an attack on British nationals in France and are offering consular assistance."

It is the second time that Tottenham fans have been targeted by an apparent anti-Semitic attack in the last three months.

In November fans of the north London club, which has a traditionally strong Jewish following, were ambushed inside a pub in Rome on the eve of their game against Lazio.

Tottenham and its supporters will return to Italy next month for a clash against Inter Milan after drawing last night's Europa League match 1-1, and winning 3-2 on aggregate.