A man dressed as a giant smurf blackened the friendly blue characters' name after being arrested for threatening behaviour at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

The man, resplendent in the costume and complete with blue face paint, was watching the Army and Navy match in the stadium's east stand when he got into an argument with his male companion.

A 25-year-old woman who was sitting on his other side put her arm round him and jokingly tried to calm him down by saying: "Don't be like that."

The man, who was in his late 20s turned and speaking in very un-smurf-like terms, threatened to hit her.

The woman, who was shocked at his reaction and felt threatened, left her seat to report him to a steward, who told police. As he was very easily identifiable, they tracked him down and he was arrested.

He was taken to Twickenham police station where he admitted the offence and said that he had been drinking heavily throughout the day. He was issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice for using threatening words and behaviour.

Despite this incident the match and surrounding celebrations, marred by trouble last year, were trouble free with the Metropolitan Police and Military Police working together and the use of extra mobile toilets.

The ward councillor for Twickenham Riverside, David Trigg, praised the work of those involved and insisted: "A lot of hard work went in over the last year from everyone concerned. There was a vast improvement.

"We are going to have a review and look at what improvements can be put in place so it can go even better next year."