A Romanian football club is planning to control its rowdy fans by installing a crocodile-filled moat around the pitch. Fourth division Steaua Nicolae Balcescu have been threatened with expulsion from the league after repeated pitch invasions and violent outbreaks.

Worried bosses think a moat, stocked with fully-grown hungry crocodiles, would be the only way to keep their fans off the pitch.

Club chairman Alexandra Cringus said: "This is not a joke. We can get crocodiles easy enough and feed them on meat from the local abattoir.

"The ditch is planned to be wide enough that no one could manage to jump over it. Anyone who attempted to do so would have to deal with the crocs. "I think that the problem of fans running onto the pitch will be solved once and for all."

The moat would have electric pipes installed to heat the water during cold weather. And it would be far enough from the pitch to prevent players chasing the ball right into it. The proposal is being considered by local authorities.