Euro 2016: Thousands watch Wales lose 2-1 to England in Lens

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In Cardiff, fans go wild as Gareth Bale secures Wales a 1-0 lead over England before half-time

Thousands of Wales football fans cheered on their team in the hotly-anticipated Euro 2016 match with England in Lens which they lost 2-1 after an injury-time goal.

The atmosphere between the two sets of supporters has been "good-natured".

It follows clashes in nearby Lille on Wednesday, where many are staying.

After the game, Gareth Bale said his team's loss was "massively disappointing" but he added that "the tournament is not over yet".

First Minister Carwyn Jones echoed the sentiment, tweeting, external: "Well played but unlucky today... We've still got a great chance to qualify."

In the fanzone in Lille, Wales fans were still chanting and in an upbeat mood after the game, with some talking about "camaraderie" with England fans.

Wales face Russia in their final Group B game on Monday night and can still qualify for the last 16 stage of the tournament.

Image source, Wales News Service
Image source, PA
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Wales and England fans united on the streets of Lens before the game

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Wales fans outside the fan zone in Lens

There has been a high level of security in Lens and Lille where trouble broke out on Wednesday, with some English and Russian supporters being detained after scuffles.

At least 37 people were arrested as riot police fired tear gas and charged at hundreds of England fans.

The Russian football team have already been given a suspended disqualification from the tournament following attacks by their supporters on England fans at their opening fixture in Marseille on Saturday.

An alcohol ban remains in place at both locations, but Supt Steve Furnham, the Welsh Police Forces' lead for Euro 2016, said it was "very difficult to police".

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns, who attended the match, said he was in touch with the Home Office and French authorities and appealed to Welsh fans "to be vigilant, and to avoid any provocation".

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School children were given the afternoon off lessons to watch the game, like these pupils at Ysgol David Hughes, Anglesey

Image source, Getty Images
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Wales fans inside the Stade Bollaert-Delelis

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Wales fan Andrew Frost, 46, from Newport, said he was "gutted" about the result

In the fanzone in Lille, Wales fan Andrew Frost, 46, from Newport, said he was "gutted" about the result but he described the atmosphere with the England fans as "wonderful".

Alan Hall, 46, also from Newport, said the England and Wales fans had been "absolutely brilliant together".

Christopher Facey, of Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taff, said: "It's a bit devastating but I'm proud of the team and I'm proud to be Welsh."

Michelle Airey, who lives in England but grew up in Cardiff, said: "It'll be alright, we can both go through."

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"It'll be alright," says Michelle Airey, who lives in England but grew up in Cardiff

Another fan, Jack Taylor, from Swansea, told BBC Radio Wales he had quit his job to follow his team to France.

"I'm having the time of my life, I'm happy I'm here," he said. "I checked my bank balance yesterday and it didn't look great but I'll care about it when I get back."

In Wales, thousands of of people watched the match at fanzones in Cardiff's Bute Park as well as Castle Square in Swansea.

Schools across the country also allowed pupils to watch the game, including children from Gareth Bale's former school Whitchurch High, in Cardiff.

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In Cardiff, supporters watching the match at the city's Bute Park

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Supporters watched the game against England on a big screen at Swansea