Spurs ban vuvuzelas

Tottenham have become the first Premier League club to ban vuvuzelas from their own ground ahead of the new season.

The noisy trumpets caused much controversy at the World Cup in South Africa and a number of Football League sides have already barred the instruments from their stadia, while rugby officials also took the step of banning them from next year's World Cup in New Zealand.

However, the Premier League said during the World Cup - where the noise made by vuvuzelas was one of the main talking points - that it would be left to individual clubs to decide whether to outlaw them.

Spurs have now made their position clear, with a statement on their official website ruling out their use next season.

''Following discussions with the Police and representatives from the local licensing authorities, the club will not be permitting vuvuzelas or similar instruments into White Hart Lane on match days,'' it read.

''We are concerned that the presence of the instruments within the stadium pose unnecessary risks to public safety and could impact on the ability of all supporters to hear any emergency safety announcements.

''We are very proud of the fantastic atmosphere that our supporters produce organically at White Hart Lane and we are all very much looking forward to this continuing into the forthcoming season.''