News / Football
Wye miss it? The Bristol fans who watched Euros in Welsh cave
A group of Bristol football fans proved they would go to any lengths not to miss seeing England play in the Euro 2021 quarter-final.
The team of five boys were participating in their bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh expeditions run by WECIL (West of England Centre for Inclusive Living) when the match was scheduled on Saturday.
Unable to get any signal at their campsite, the five – who were part of a group of 13 disabled people on the challenge – set out with two outreach workers to watch the match from a unique historic location.
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Armed with drinks, snacks and a tablet on which to view the game, they decamped to King Arthur’s Cave in the Wye Valley, the one spot where they were told a 4G connection could be found.
Once there, they were able to cast a hotspot from within the 25-foot limestone cavern to watch England’s victory over Ukraine, knowing that the risk of extra time would mean an adventure back under torchlight.
Outreach worker Nicki Beaumont captured the memorable moment on camera. “It was just amazing,” Nicki told Bristol24/7.
“As we walked back from the cave, we were all singing. It was just brilliant. Those young people will remember that forever.
“When someone asks ‘where were you when England got through to the semis in the Euros?’ the answer will be – in a cave!”
WECIL is an award-winning organisation dedicated to supporting the independent living of disabled people in Bristol and currently works with more than 4,000 people across the city every year.
Main photo by Nicki Beaumont
Read more: England fans celebrate in Bristol after historic win against Germany
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