Police find shelter for stranded Mexican fans

HANOVER, June 17 (Reuters) German police provided free bed and breakfast for over 300 Mexican fans stranded after their country's World Cup Group D match with Angola last night.

A spokesman for Hanover police said they helped out fans who found themselves with no accommodation for the night in the city or missed their train.

''Basically we put just over 300 of them up in the train station where we have two empty floors and is warm and dry,'' the police spokesman said today.

''Before they left, we gave them breakfast and they travelled on to their next location.'' According to the police, many other fans, who did not take up their offer, slept on public benches and on street corners, but caused no trouble.

''And of course many others didn't sleep at all and stayed up partying,'' the spokesman said.

Mexico were held to a scoreless draw by Angola, who also had a man sent off with seven minutes remaining. It was Angola's first point at their first-ever finals.

Police made seven arrests for illegally selling tickets.

''We are very pleased with this result and managed to confiscate fake tickets and also retrieve some tickets which were stolen or bought illegally,'' the spokesman said.

Mexico play Portugal in their last Group D match on June 21 in the town of Gelsenkirchen.

Reuters PDS RN2017