It should have been one of the proudest weekends in the history of Hurworth - the day the England squad came to the village. Instead, people will remember it with bitter disappointment. Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo and Hurworth villager, reports.

WITH binoculars pointing into the distance, they lined the footpath looking like birdwatchers, desperate to catch a glimpse of an unexpected feathered visitor from a distant land.

But all they wanted was to see the England football squad on a rare visit to the North-East, warming up for action at Middlesbrough Football Club's Rockcliffe Park training complex, at Hurworth, near Darlington.

Not too much to ask was it? Not for kids who spend their parents' hard-earned cash on the latest England replica shirt? Not for the mothers and fathers who shell out on season tickets for the local clubs? Not for ordinary people who create extraordinary wealth for international footballers?

Well, it was too much to ask. Hundreds turned out both on Saturday afternoon and yesterday morning, but left feeling snubbed by England.

Wait a minute. Was that flash of white a silver crested, blue legged grebe? No, it was England's goalie David James - more conspicuous than most from a distance with his bleached hair - being put through his paces by ex-England 'keeper Ray Clemence.

"It's a closed training session," said one of the orange-coated security officials, whose job it was to make sure locals did not get too close.

"The players just won't come over - it's their choice."

Through their binoculars, the "twitchers" could just about make out other players training on a far-off practice match - a blur of lime green bibs versus orange bibs.

"I think I can see Michael Owen, dad, but it might be Joe Cole," said my nine-year-old, wearing his expensive new England shirt with "Rooney" on the back.

Boro fan Kieran Dolby, aged six, couldn't see much at all through his blue toy binoculars. His father, Mike, had brought him from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, for yesterday's training session in the hope of a smile, a wave or even an autograph. Not a chance.

"As far as I'm concerned, it comes with the job. They get paid enough. What harm to come over and give the kids a wave?" said Mr Dolby.

During the Saturday training session, in preparation for Wednesday's European qualifier against Slovakia, at Middlesbrough's Riverside stadium, the players had come reasonably close on a jog around the pitch. But all the talk was of how none of them acknowledged the spectators, and only England manager Sven Goran Eriksson had bothered to wave from the coach as it left.

Edwin Curbeson, who lives across the road from Rockcliffe Park, had worn his England shirt for the first training session but took it off in protest for the second visit yesterday morning.

"I just think it's disgusting that we're being kept so far away - especially the kids. This is the national team coming to our village. It's a chance in a lifetime for the young ones," he said.

Tired of trying to see the players, Jonathan Roache, 15, a pupil at Hurworth Comprehensive School, kicked a ball around with his mates instead: "This is the most exciting thing that's happened in the village and you'd think we'd at least be able to get a bit closer."

Five-year-old Jack Burrows, from Shildon, was one of the lucky few. He'd managed to get his England shirt signed by Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, and Owen Hargreaves as the team boarded the coach at Redworth Hall Hotel, near Darlington, earlier in the day.

He'd been at Hurworth the previous afternoon with his father, James, and left disappointed.

"He was in his element getting his shirt signed. The players were great with him but it's been a huge disappointment for the people at Hurworth. There were kids in tears here on Saturday afternoon because they were so frustrated," said Mr Burrows.

As his father was talking, Jack earned the biggest cheer of the morning when he broke through the security cordon and started walking purposefully towards the nearest pitch, where David James was warming up.

"Go on son," shouted someone in the crowd. "Go for it."

But, just as it looked as if Jack might actually get there, he turned and ran back to his dad.

"I think David James was smiling at him," said someone with a pair of binoculars. Well, at least that was something - but we still couldn't be sure.

Fed-up with the lack of action, Jack ended up playing with the stones from the gravel track and entertaining the crowd by singing: "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round . . ."

The training session over, the spectators made their way to the road to see the bus leave and maybe get a picture.

Sven smiled and waved again but his players were too busy on their mobile phones or looking the other way to acknowledge the fans.

The wheels on the bus went round and round and the England team disappeared into the distance.

They are due to train in Hurworth again today but don't forget your binoculars. You might not see any England players but you never know what rare birds might be paying a visit.