'It brings the community together': The Preston street decorated with England flags ahead of Euros game

It is a tradition that the residents of Atkinson Close have done for years, going 'all-out' to decorate their small cul-de-sac with England flags to show their support for the team.

And ahead of Saturday's Euros match, when their much-loved team will take on Ukraine in the quarter-finals, they were out in full force adorning the street with bunting, flags and inflatables.

For resident Pauline Fowler, 65, it is a moment that she always looks forward to, when she can come together with neighbours to show support for the England team.

And this year, she had to travel all the way to Blackpool just to get her hands on some bunting to hang from her home after failing to find any in shops in Preston.

She said: "We have been decorating our homes here for years. It started a long time ago and we have just done it ever since. We all come together on the close and go and collect bunting and make sure all our England flags are ironed to put up in our windows.

"We have always done it for the Euros and the World Cup and this year is no different. It brings all of us together and a lot of us have known each other since moving in and have always done it together as a community.

"This year we really struggled because we couldn't find a shop in the whole of Preston that sold bunting. We looked everywhere and went all over trying to find them, but we ended up in Blackpool on a street market."

Spirits are high ahead of Saturday's match, which will see England go head to head with Ukraine after their major win against Germany on Tuesday.

And the residents of Atkinson Close will join others watching the game and supporting the home team, with high hopes that they will make it through to the Semi-Finals at Wembley.

Pauline has always been a football fan, having visited the North End grounds as a child and watched her dad, husband and sons play the sport over the years.

She said she is "extremely proud to be British."

She added: "We have always done this and wouldn't have given up this year. After the year we have had it is even more uplifting, and we are hoping to be able to have a street party at the end of all of it when restrictions are lifted.

"We get people stopping on the road and taking videos and pictures of our houses. People just love it and it puts them in good spirits. Everyone on the street is always more than happy to join in and it's been a good way to show solidarity with the team."

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