PATRIOTIC Malvern residents are coming down with football fever with the start of the European Championships today.

The month long football festival, where Europe's 24 best teams will be doing battle for the Henri Delaunay Trophy, starts tomorrow evening.

And England and Wales kick off their opening games against Slovakia and Russia, respectively, on Saturday.

And all over Worcestershire fans are getting ready to roar their teams to glory.

Fans are hoping for a double celebration as the big matches coincide with the Queen's 90th birthday.

A football-mad Malvern couple and their friend will be experiencing the tournament first-hand when they travel to host country, France, next week.

Laura Best, 35, partner Simon Burge, 42, and their friend Craig Dewhurst will be catching a ferry next Wednesday for a three-day stay in Lille, one of the host cities.

They are planning to soak up the atmosphere with crowds of other supporters from other European countries in the city's fanzone.

Russian and Slovakian fans will be among those in the city, as their nations go head-to-head in Lille on the same day the three arrive - the match having added interest for England and Wales fans as the countries are the other two teams in their group.

Miss Best said: "We haven't got tickets for matches but we can't wait to sample the atmosphere, which will be fantastic.

"It's great to have such a major event on our doorstep."