Security alert in England camp

Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad have been at the centre of a security alert as World Cup organisers searched for an imposter with fake England media accreditation.

The conman is believed to have used a fake passport to change details of a media pass designated for an English newspaper journalist so it was sent to him instead.

These documents could therefore give him access to England press conferences and training sessions, putting him into close contact with players.

FIFA are investigating the matter, especially as security is so tight around the England squad amid the general worldwide threat of terrorism.

After all, they need to ensure the safety of high-profile stars such as David Beckham and Michael Owen, with the England captain greeted by a screaming 600-strong crowd of fans when the squad flew into Japan today.

The security worry first came to light when Sunday Mirror journalist Paul Smith, recently named Sports Reporter of the Year, attempted to gain his accreditation for the tournament earlier this week.

That took more than an hour, with the prior actions of the would-be imposter coming to light so the authorities were thereafter warned that he may attempt to assume Smith's identity.

As a result of the search for the holder of the fake passport, Smith was then detained when he left Korea today as part of the official England media group en route to their tournament base in Japan.

Smith, the unwitting target of the conman, was also spoken to by Japanese officials on his arrival at Osaka airport and later at the media hotel in Kobe, but has been cleared to enter the country.

Football Association spokesman Paul Newman said: "We are aware of this passport issue and have spoken to FIFA about it.

"Suffice to say we have every confidence in the security being provided by FIFA and World Cup security is their responsibility.

"We know FIFA are making every effort to look for that person. It's a matter for them, not the FA."