MORE pubs in the district are being allowed early morning opening hours as the World Cup draws nearer.

Magistrates have received a flood of applications from pubs keen to open their doors early to show televised first round games involving England and Ireland.

Applications for later rounds and for the final are also now being granted.

Following the initial grant of extensions from 7am for Jacksons and the King William in Kidderminster, and the Bay Horse at Stourport, more have been keen to follow suit.

It follows a landmark High Court case which ruled the World Cup was a special event and pubs showing it on television would qualify for extensions.

Pubs are being granted permission to serve from 7am for England's final group game against Nigeria on June 12 and for Ireland against Cameroon on June 1.

There will be a 10am opening for England against Sweden on June 2 while the game against Argentina falls within normal licensing hours on June 7 at 12.30pm.

The latest to be granted extensions are the Broadwaters Inn, the Railway Bell, the Red Man and Redwoods in Kidderminster, and the Horn and Trumpet and the Talbot at Bewdley.

Applications from the Red Lion at Cookley and the Great Western at Bewdley will be heard today.

Bill Campbell, licensee of the Railway Bell, said: "We will make it a ticket only event and will be serving breakfast snacks. There will be no admittance after kick-off times."

Police licensing officer PC John Bulmer however warned pubs against allowing " all and sundry " in to watch the games.

"The advice is for pubs to make the events ticket only and only let people they know and trust have tickets.

"Licensees can broadcast their plans by word of mouth among their regulars without the need for advertising which would be likely to attract people they did not know," he said.