Preperations for England's Euro 2000 game with Germany took another chaotic turn on Wednesday when Belgian officials refused to implement an alcohol ban.

Charleroi mayor Jacques van Gompel banned bars near the ground from serving spirits before the June 17 match - but in the same breath sanctioned the sale of some of the world's strongest beers.

Van Gompel made his astonishing decision as Shadow Sports Minister John Greenway joined the campaign to move the match from the Stade du Pays to Brussels.

Belgian beer is far stronger than the lager and bitter served in British pubs and in allowing bar-owners to keep the potent brew flowing in the hours leading up to the big game, Van Gompel is flying in the face of the conventional wisdom that alcohol and soccer violence are inextricably linked.

While most British beers range in strength between 3.8-4.2 per cent, many of the most popular brews in Belgium are more than twice as potent.

Bush beer, for example, is 12 per cent alcohol, about the same as wine. The range and variety of brews on offer was confirmed by the Islington branch of the Belgo restaurant chain, which offers 202 different beers.

Yesterday, Soccernet highlighted the dangers of the 30,000-capacity stadium and the disorientation its steeply banked stands will induce in supporters on the upper tiers, even if entirely sober.

As we revealed, mountain rescue equipment will be required for safety teams to evacuate injured fans from the upper tier of the Stade du Pays and drink would only add to the sense of panic if an incident broke out.

Despite the fears of ground safety experts, officials at UEFA and Euro 2000 organisers are adamant that the match will not be switched to the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, with a Belgian government spokesman declaring: 'We are confident there is no security risk at Charleroi.'

That theme was continued by Belgium coach Robert Waseige, who attacked critics of the stadium and said: 'We've known what's needed for four years and we construct stadia according to the specifications we're given. There is no stadium in Belgium that could hold the number of fans who want to see the match.'

But on Wednesday night, Mr Greenway said he would be writing to UEFA demanding that European football's governing body listens to the growing chorus in favour of a venue change.

'We are calling for the game to be moved because we believe it's the only responsible decision UEFA can take,' he said.

'If UEFA is serious about wanting to tackle the problems and have the right spirit, together with a minimum of violence and trouble, it should find an alternative and maybe move a less high-profile game to Charleroi instead. The steepness of the stands in Charleroi suggests there will be safety difficulties and for such a high-profile game, the ground is inappropriate. That is what the safety experts have said.

'Only 5,000 England fans will have tickets and everybody going into the ground will have to prove their identity. But that means many thousands of supporters from both countries will be stuck outside the ground with nowhere to go. That could prove to be a recipe for trouble.'

It emerged yesterday that Euro 2000 fans who make trouble in Amsterdam will be temporarily locked up in a converted hangar - but will still see the matches.

New rules will allow Amsterdam authorities to detain hooligans for up to 12 hours. But the city's mayor, Schelto Patijn, said they would be able to watch the games on a giant screen.