WORLD Cup football fans couldn't believe their eyes when a power cut blacked out the England match in Bromsgrove on Saturday.

Hundreds of supporters gathered in pubs to watch England play Denmark on TV at lunchtime on Saturday.

But at 12.20pm - ten minutes before kick-off time - the electricity went off in High Street and Broad Street in the town as well as Grafton Lane, Sunningdale Road, Lincoln Road and Austin Road.

Nearly 5,000 homes were hit by the power cut, which happened when a truck pulled down an overhead cable on farmland in Upton Warren. And it left fans staring at a blank screen minutes before England's biggest game in years.

"It was terrible. We had about 300 people in and most of them had been here waiting since nine o'clock," said Turk's Head licensee Lisa Watts.

"When the power went off, they shouted for me to switch it back on. But they soon found out it wasn't a joke."

The fans scattered in search of another pub which could still show the crucial football game live.

"Some of them came back but by then it was the second half and all the goals had been scored. The atmosphere had gone," Ms Watts said.

The Black Cross public house did not open until mid-afternoon because of the power cut. At the Duke of York, fans clustered around a tiny battery operated TV neighbour Roger Kimberley took in from home.

"We had about 80 people here," said licensee Paul Sollis. "Some people left but the rest all crowded around this little TV with the radio commentary on."

Millfields Social Club also lost out and dropped an estimated £1,000 in takings as angry fans took to the town streets in a desperate bid to watch the game

Two big screens had been put up - one for the regular members and one for a wedding reception where it had been specially requested.

"It couldn't have come at a worse time. A lot of people left to go to relatives or find somewhere else which still had the power on," said secretary Dave Clewlow. "I think most of the wedding guests stayed, though."

The nearest pub that still had power was The Sugarbrook in Charford Road which quickly got packed out.

Nick Watson, a diehard England fan and Millfield Road resident, said he couldn't believe it when the power went off.

"I was all set for the big game when the power cut hit. I thought it was some kind of sick joke.

"When I realised what was happening I went looking for somewhere which was still showing the game and the streets were full of desperate people doing just the same. I think we should get compensation," he added.

Bev Harrington, of power company Aquila Networks, said the power went off at 12.22pm to 4,856 customers and was restored to most places by 1.20pm, though 14 properties in Grafton Lane, nearest to the break in the cable, were without power until 5pm.

"We would like to apologise," she said. "We're investigating and we believe a large tipper truck brought down an overhead line at Foxwalks Farm, Grafton Lane."

She said they had 65 calls of complaint, adding that the regulations for compensation are set by watchdogs Ofgen and the power has to be out for 18 hours before they come into effect.

John Newell, of Foxwalks Farm, said a contractor working on his land had driven away with the bed of the lorry still raised and brought down the cable.

"They were working a long way from the wires and he forgot to lower the back of the truck," he said. The driver was not injured.

One consolation is that England's 3-0 win sent them into a quarter final against Brazil on Friday. Licensees are getting ready for the early kick-off of 7.30am.

"We must have lost thousands of pounds in takings at the weekend," Lisa Watts said. "We're hoping it will be a lot better on Friday."