About 95 England fans were arrested last night before the crunch international match against Turkey in Sunderland.

Police intervened as trouble flared between rival Newcastle, Sunderland and Leeds fans.

Superintendent Jim Campbell, in charge of security at the Stadium of Light's sell-out, said that no Turkish fans had been involved.

A group of about 25 Newcastle and Sunderland supporters were arrested in a city centre pub in the afternoon as they looked likely to cause trouble, he said.

Another 25 were arrested in or near the stadium, police said last night.

About 200 Newcastle and Sunderland supporters set about each other, before turning on police. One man was taken away in an ambulance with blood pouring from his head and riot police came under a hail of bottles, cans and even car wheel hubs.

Fan Gary Harvey, 31, of Sunderland, said: "It blew up out of nothing and there wasn't a single Turkish fan in sight. The trouble erupted as fans were making their way to the Stadium of Light.

"It involved about 200 people in two groups who suddenly rushed at each other.

"One guy was punched to the ground and his head hit the pavement with a really sickening blow.

"He was unconscious for six or seven minutes with all hell breaking loose around him."

It was then that police came under a barrage of missiles as the hooligans joined forces and turned on them.

Some time later, more than 25 supporters - believed to be Leeds followers - were arrested following an attack on a Turkish TV cameraman.

There were also reports of skirmishes in and around the city centre and police corralled a large group of fans in the Winter Gardens for a time.