FOOTBALL fans travelling home to Oxford on Saturday were kept at Worcester’s Foregate Street station by police to avoid any trouble.

Worcester police and British Transport Police combined to stop the Oxford United fans causing trouble in the city centre.

Officers from both forces worked together to convince around 200 fans – on their way back from a 3-1 defeat by Kidderminster Harriers - not to leave the platform as they waited for a connecting service.

Chief Inspector Sharon Gibbons, head of operations for South Worcestershire, said: “From an incident earlier in the day – when officers were called to the Postal Order public house when an estimated 200 Oxford fans were inside – we recognised the potential problems that might occur when those same fans were making their return journey.

“Working closely with British Transport Police - who are responsible for maintaining law-and-order on our railways - we took firm action to prevent any of the fans who were waiting to change trains at Foregate Street leaving the station and - potentially - causing problems in Worcester on Saturday evening.”

Police were called to the Postal Order in Foregate Street after the pub became packed with Oxford fans, although no touble was reported.

• One Oxford fan was arrested in Kidderminster and - under the 1986 Public Order Act - was later charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause someone to believe that unlawful violence would be used against them.

He is due to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on Thursday, November 26.