'My fiancé was having his head kicked in': Girlfriend fights off Russian thugs disguised as Euro 2016 ENGLAND fans after their group is ambushed in France

Karl Bowater, 44, and Kerry Haycock, 34, who said they were attacked by Russian fans in England strips

An England football fan has revealed how he and his fiancée were savagely attacked by Russian Ultras - wearing English strips and with the flag of St George tucked in their pockets.

Karl Bowater, 44, and Kerry Haycock, 34, were ambushed by the fearsome hooligans in Marseille, who were wearing Manchester United and Chelsea shirts.

They were attacked as they made their way to the Stade Vélodrome and Ms Haycock said she was punched to the floor as she tried to protect her fiancéEnglish and Russian fans, as well as gangs of local youths, squared off in Marseille for three days before the Group B match.

As hooliganism reared its ugly head, they hurled beer bottles and chairs at one another, drawing volleys of tear gas from riot police who struggled to contain the fighting in the narrow streets of the Old Port district.

Then, inside the Stade Vélodrome the Balaclava-clad Russian thugs - wearing gum shields and mixed martial arts gloves and wielding telescopic truncheons - charged at their English counterparts at the final whistle.

They also smuggled flare guns, fireworks and flares into the ground - raising serious questions about security within the stadiums.