Family of Liverpool fans attacked in Naples

Two Liverpool fans have been treated for stab wounds after violence ahead of their team's Europa League tie in Naples.

Merseyside Police said it had received reports that six Liverpool fans in total were attacked in the Italian city.

Local police in Naples said the victims included a British family of four and admitted that gangs of Napoli's hardcore Ultra fans went out hunting Liverpool supporters to attack in the city.

The Merseyside force, which has officers in the city liaising with local police, said two fans, men aged 27 and 53, were taken to hospital with stab wounds. Their injuries were deemed not serious and the pair were discharged after recieving treatment.

Naples police said three local men had been arrested: "We are still gathering information with regards to yesterday's incidents. Four people of the same family, a father, a mother and their two sons, were attacked last night and needed medical attention.

The attack happened shortly after 4am when the family, from Bedfordshire and in town for Thursday's Liverpool game, were followed from a bar in the Piazza Garibaldi in the city centre.

A group of between 20 and 30 men assaulted them as they walked back to their hotel. A variety of weapons - including a baseball bat, four-foot aluminium bars and a five-foot long piece of wood - were recovered from the home of one of the arrested men.