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Firecrackers are illegal in Cyprus.

Sitting on the window ledge of a moving vehicle is also, I believe, an offence. Certainly, driving at over 50km/h in town is against the law, as many otherwise law-abiding motorists who have been booked for speeding will attest.

These rules, however, do not apparently apply to football fans. Ahead of today's 'big match' between Apoel and Omonia, fans of both teams were blatantly breaking the law - and the police were looking on and doing ...... absolutley nothing!

Indeed, at a central Nicosia crossroads they were actually assisting the lawbreakers: stopping law-abiding motorists from crossing the junction when the lights were green, in order to wave through countless cars and double cabs doing at least 80 km/h and filled with fans perched on the window ledges.

At Apoel, in heavy traffic, motorists were literally jumping as firecrackers were being let off right next to the road; frankly it's surprising there wasn't an accident.

It's no good the police complaining that drivers are flouting the law - not when they are seen to be doing nothing about (indeed, are actively assisting) certain groups' regular infringements. They may have been trying to keep rival fans apart, but when a law is broken I had thought the police were there to take appropriate action.

Just make sure that, the next time you flout the law, you wear a green or orange T shirt!