RAMPAGING soccer hooligans caused more than £4,000 worth of damage to a restaurant – just because it was Italian.A gang of 30 drink-fuelled fans, some wrapped in England flags, set upon Salentinna pizzeria when they saw the owner's Alfa Romeo parked outside.

RAMPAGING soccer hooligans caused more than £4,000 worth of damage to a restaurant – just because it was Italian.

A gang of 30 drink-fuelled fans, some wrapped in England flags, set upon

Salentinna pizzeria when they saw the owner's Alfa Romeo parked outside.

Owner Marizo Partaluri, said: "It was terrible. Just like what you saw in Russia with the football violence. These people are not football fans they are just hooligans."

Five diners looked on in horror as the gang of marauding fans threatened to storm the Great Colman Street restaurant after England's victory over Argentina.

Mr Partaluri said: "I heard chanting outside people singing that they were going to kill us. Then the gang saw my car with its Italian licence plates and started kicking it."

Mr Partaluri went outside with four other staff members in time to see the gang smash the kitchen window last Friday at 6.30pm.

He said: "With the damage to my car and to the restaurant, they would have caused £4,000 of damage."

He hoped that a CCTV camera pointing in the direction of Chicago's pub may have captured some of the thugs on tape.

Mr Partaluri, who has run the Salentinna for six months, said: "If the police can catch hooligans out of thousands in a football match, I hope they can catch these people.

"I don't understand why people can't watch the football and just be happy. There is no need for this racism."

England's only chance to play Italy would be in the final of the World Cup, should both teams make it that far.

A despairing Mr Partaluri said: "What precautions can I take? Ipswich is a nice town, not some violent country."

The restraunteur has reported the incident to police.

If you have any information that could help find the culprits telephone 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.