Rick Farmary (blue T-shirt) complained it was unfair

One of the first supporters to arrive back in the UK said fans were thrown out "like animals".

However others who defied the travel warnings said although they thought it was unfair, they had been treated well.

Fears about security prompted a warning from the Foreign Office not to travel for Saturday's Euro 2004 qualifier, which kicks off at 1800 BST.

'Gutted'

But Builder Rick Farmary, 31, one of four fans from Nottingham who arrived back at Heathrow, said they only wanted to watch the match at a Turkish hotel.

He said the group had bought flights months ago, before the warnings, and had arranged to meet Turkish friends in Istanbul.

At the end of the day it is your own fault, you can't grumble about anything Micky Fuller England fan

"I've spent a lot of money for this and I am gutted. We were warned but not told that we were not able to go."

He added: "We were treated like animals. We were told that we could get a flight back to Manchester but this morning they said it wasn't possible.

"Now I have to spend more money to get back to Nottingham."

Three other Britons said they had been kept in a room overnight with about 20 others, with no food or water for 16 hours.

One, Clive Adams, said he had been treated "like dirt".

But other returning fans at Heathrow had a different story.

Turkish police are ready to repel English fans

Micky Fuller, a plasterer from Banstead, Surrey, who spent �250 on his return flight, said he had been treated well and had no complaints.

Some British consular officials had even bought supporters burgers and chips at the airport, he said.

He said he would have tried to buy tickets in Istanbul for the match and admitted it was "his own fault" for ignoring official warnings.

"We were told that there would be a 99.9% chance that we would be turned back but if they give us 0.1% then we were going to try.

"At the end of the day it is your own fault, you can't grumble about anything. We had plenty of warnings not to go."

Other routes home

But he said it was unfair that well behaved fans like him who were not subject to travel restrictions should be banned.

Other fans were returning via other European cities, Mr Fuller added.

Another supporter on the same flight back said his group had papers explaining that they were planning to meet a friend in Turkey.

He said British police allowed them to board a flight in Manchester and the Turkish authorities appeared to be happy on arrival.

But British police in Istanbul stopped them at the airport and sent them back.