Where once stood thousands of English fans proudly waving St George's flags lay a sea of crushed plastic beer glasses along with any dreams of World Cup glory this summer.

As the final kick was beamed to 20,000 people at a Fan Fest on the outskirts of Gelsenkirchen, a father hugged his son who sobbed uncontrollably while young men and women lay on the grass staring at the screen disbelievingly.

It had all started with a party on Friday night when thousands of English fans danced, drank and swapped flags and hats with their hosts in the town's main square.

The Germans had won their quarter-final earlier in the afternoon and although outnumbered, happily mingled with their bare-chested, drunken and sunburnt guests.

Marco, 27, of Gelsenkirchen, came to celebrate with his countrymen but found his voice drowned out by English good-natured singing.

He said: "Our idea of English is always of the hooligan. That is all we know and I think that has changed this summer."

The party lasted late into the following morning and, while both nations nursed hangovers the next day, there was also the sight of Germans walking through their city proudly holding their newly acquired St George's flags.

Down at the Fan Fest two giant screens had been set up for 20,000 England fans for the afternoon. The loud, proud and colourful crowd endured sizzling heat and more than 120 minutes of tension and ultimately heartbreak as Portugal won the penalty shootout.

The result was too much for many fans to take, with tired bodies left prone on the ground, and thousands disappeared back to the town's squares and bars leaving behind a sea of crushed plastic beer glasses along with their dreams.

On the bus a father from Sheffield shielded his young daughter from two drunken yobs fighting and swearing in an ugly but short outburst as the pain of defeat turned to anger. He turned and said: "She has loved it out here. But how do I explain this to her?"

Back in Gelsenkirchen many fans sat in silence on benches by fast food stands, heads in hands and flags around their heavy shoulders contemplating how to get back home.

But in the main square where the previous night Germans and English had shared the party a small group began hurling plastic beer glasses at the live act on stage.

When they would not let the band finish their songs police inevitably appeared from every corner and filled the square.

There were 50 arrests mainly for drunken behaviour but it was clear, although it was not yet midnight, the party was over on police orders.