‘Stupid’ flare fans face lifetime Hearts ban

Branding the practice “stupid” and “dangerous”, Hearts chairwoman Ann Budge asked fans to help the club stamp it out.

The call comes after a spate of incidents, most recently at Easter Road and during the women’s play-off for the World Cup between Scotland and Holland.

Last Saturday, flares were set off in the wooden Main Stand at Tynecastle, in the women’s match attended by more than 2000 fans, many of them children.

Ms Budge said: “The club has an absolute zero tolerance policy and will issue a lifetime ban to any and all individuals or groups of individuals who endanger fellow supporters and clubs’ facilities in this way.”

She also said that the setting off of flares was illegal and “extremely dangerous”, adding: “The smoke can be harmful, flares eject material that can seriously burn anyone, or anything, it touches, and obviously they can cause fires.”