More than 700 officers to police Villa-Maccabi match

Warnings of disruption and protests will see more than 700 police officers mount an operation in Birmingham for Aston Villa's Uefa Europa League against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

West Midlands Police has said officers would be keeping the public safe and arresting anyone who engages in crime and disorder, om Thursday.

Police horses, dogs, the force's drone unit, and road policing unit officers will be out in the city and people not attending the game at Villa Park have been urged to avoid the area.

Last month, a decision to ban Tel Aviv fans from the event became the focus of parliamentary-level debate. The Israeli club later said supporters would not travel to Birmingham for safety reasons.