BETH MEAD produced one of the all-time great England tournament displays this evening as she claimed a hat-trick in a remarkable 8-0 thrashing of Norway at Women’s Euro 2022.

The Whitby-born striker followed up her winner in England’s opening group game against Austria with a superb attacking display as the Lionesses ran riot at Brighton’s Amex Stadium.

Her fellow forward, Ellen White, scored two first-half goals, with a penalty from Georgia Stanway and a close-range finish from Lauren Hemp ensuring that England were 6-0 ahead at the interval.

Substitute Alessia Russo added a seventh goal in the early stages of the second half, before Mead completed the scoring and secured her hat-trick with nine minutes remaining.

“I keep saying it, but I can’t put it into words,” said Mead, who started her career with Middlesbrough and Sunderland before moving to her current club, Arsenal . “I’m loving being here and being part of this team.

“I’m really enjoying my football. I love being part of this team and it’s an incredible feeling to feel like I do now.

“I don’t think I even dreamed of this, I’m just happy to have been able to get the goals to help the team. I just want to get goals for my team to help us win.

“We need to enjoy this one. We need to enjoy the moments, and this is certainly a moment we have to enjoy.”

England’s victory means they have qualified for the quarter-finals with one game to spare, and can head into their final group game against Northern Ireland on Friday evening with the pressure off.

The margin of victory was a new record for the Women’s European Championship finals, beating England’s 6-0 victory over Scotland in 2017, and means the Lionesses are now on a 16-game unbeaten run under Sarina Wiegman.