England fans were left heartbroken as they watched Roy Hodgson's side crash out of Euro 2012 on penalties against Italy in Ukraine.

The shoot-out ended supporters' hopes that this could be their year.

The quarter-final had finished goalless after extra time.

Around 6,000 Three Lions fans trudged from the Olympic Stadium in Kiev after midnight local time as the long wait for a second major trophy continued.

David Martin, 35, from Hull, said: "It's the same again. We just can't take penalties.

"The disappointing thing for me is that we just sat back during the game and did nothing."

Millions of fans back home were glued to television screens as the drama unfolded.

Chris Clubbe, 37, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, criticised the performance of the team. "We didn't play well through the whole game so we didn't deserve to win. It's typical England," he said.

But Paul Farley, 48, from Swanley, south-west London, had sympathy for the England players. He said: "Penalties are rubbish. It's a very harsh way to go out."