MEET THE CAMPERVAN ARMY CHEERING ON ENGLAND'S HEROES IN GERMANY
- Scores of motor homes from Britain have descended on camp sites in Cologne
- Thousands of fans are making their way ahead of Tuesday's Slovenia match
- Some England supporters have rented vans at cheaper rates than back home
Scotland's supporters may enlist in a Tartan Army but England fans, it seems, have formed a Campervan Army.
Scores of motor homes from Britain – rented or owner-occupied – have descended on camp sites in Cologne ahead of Tuesday's Slovenia match.
Other England supporters flew to locations including Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Malaga to rent vans at much cheaper rates than back home, before driving on to the riverside city.
The Campervan Army includes England forward Jarrod Bowen's father, Sam, a former semi-professional footballer-turned farmer.
He has been driving a round-trip of more than 1,000 miles for each of the three group games with the West Ham United player's brother and two friends.
Cologne has three main camp sites – one on each bank of the Rhine which runs through the city, and a bigger site in a forest a 30-minute drive north.
Stuart Coram, 59, is travelling solo in his VW campervan from his home in Chester. The aircraft engineer has tickets for each of England's three group matches.
He paid just under 100 euros (£84.50) for his four nights at the Campingplatz Stadt Koln site – cheaper than many overnight parking rates at hotels in the city.
Mr Coram said: 'The atmosphere has been brilliant. It's just a shame about the football.'
Also on site were ex-fireman Mick Bollands, 63, and his salesman son Scott, 34. 'I've just recently retired and this was on my bucket list,' said Mr Bollands, from Chesterfield.
Across the river at the larger Camping Berger site, Aaron Banks, 45, wife Rebekah, 43, daughter Ella, six, and son Thomas four, and Aaron's nephew, Jack, 29, were relaxing outside their motorhome, rented from Frankfurt.
They flew there before England's game against Denmark last week and then drove on to Cologne.
Mr and Mrs Banks, originally from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, now live in Singapore.
'It has been brilliant,' said Mr Banks. 'The Germans have been very hospitable.'
Nearby, Dennis and Heidi Williams soaked up the sun alongside their yellow VW campervan.
The couple from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, have been cheering on the team from the fan parks.
'To be honest we are just here for the beer,' laughed Heidi, 43, a self-employed dog-walker.
Retired engineer Dennis, 69, added: 'There is a real campervan community over here.'
Outside the city at the giant Campsite Waldbad were a group of Sheffield Wednesday fans.
One of them, Bryn Webster, 56, a paramedic, said: 'It has been brilliant, the atmosphere, the travelling, the beer, the food, the locals.'
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