Campervan family cheers Lionesses to victory

Kevin, Amelia, Ethan and Kelly are standing in a line wearing football tops.Image source, Family
Image caption,

The family are hoping to see England in the semi-finals before they go home

  • Published

A family who travelled 800 miles (1,280 km) in their campervan to cheer on England against Wales in the UEFA Women's Euros were jubilant after they won 6-1.

The Morris family drove from Hereford to watch the Lionesses book their place in the quarter-finals after their outstanding victory at the St Gallen stadium in Switzerland on Sunday.

Kevin Morris, who was in the stadium with his wife, Kelly, daughter, Amelia, 16, and son, Ethan, 13, said the atmosphere was "great".

"As soon as the game started, they put on another great performance and blew away Wales," he added. The victory followed England's 4-0 win over the Netherlands last Wednesday.

England fans play musical instruments outside the stadium before the match. The fans, many in hats and wearing white tops, with one in red, are in a circle with the stadium building to one side.Image source, Reuters
Image caption,

Kevin Morris said the atmosphere at the stadium was "great"

Mr Morris spoke to BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester as the rest of the family caught up on their sleep after a late night getting to and from the stadium, but he said it was "worth it".

Amelia, Kelly, Ethan and Kevin, line up for a selfie in seats at the stadium. Crowds of fans can be seen in the stands, with part of the football pitch on view.Image source, Family
Image caption,

The family are following the Lionesses and cheering them on

They are staying in their campervan at Arbon near Lake Constance, which is where the borders of Germany, Austria and Switzerland meet.

"It was just busy coming out of the stadium, said Mr Morris. "We got on to the one train station, we couldn't get on to the train. The next one came in. We changed for our last train and then just stopped in the middle of nowhere.

"We were there for about 20 or 30 minutes and we were told to get off and a bus would turn up.

"A bus did turn up but then it went everywhere, before we got back to where we're staying in Arbon, just on the side of Lake Constance."

Ethan and Amelia stand next to a sign advertising dates for the games. Amelia is draped in an England flag.Image source, Family
Image caption,

Ethan and Amelia will head to Zurich with their parents to see England play Sweden

The family's journey began on 5 July, when they set off for Dover to catch a ferry the next day. Their onwards journey took them to Paris, Courgenay and Zurich, where they watched England play the Netherlands, and then Arbon.

On Tuesday, the family will drive their campervan back to Zurich, where they will watch England take on Sweden in the quarter-final on Thursday (20:00 BST) in a repeat of the Euro 2022 semi-final. In that game, England won 4-0.

Mr Morris is optimistic: "I think we can do it again."

An England flag - a red cross on a white background - is covering the windscreen of the campervan.Image source, Family
Image caption,

An England flag can be seen through the windscreen of the campervan

He said he hoped they would be "lucky enough to get through to see the semi-final", particularly as the family set off on their journey back to Hereford on 24 July.

The Lionesses were crowned UEFA Women's Euro 2022 champions with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory against Germany to win their first major title in front of a record crowd.

Get in touch

Tell us which stories we should cover in Hereford & Worcester

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external.

Related topics