England’s Lionesses arrived back in the UK on Tuesday morning following their World Cup final defeat against Spain but left Heathrow via a private transfer rather than coming through the arrivals hall.

A number of fans had turned out early to greet the team off their 6.30am flight but were left disappointed when they were told the World Cup runners-up would not be passing through arrivals.

The party departed Sydney on Monday around 24 hours after their 1-0 loss against Spain in Sydney.

Hopes were raised when Alex Scott was spotted walking through arrivals, with fans saying she hinted the team would follow and the crowd burst out into chants of ‘Sweet Caroline’.

The team’s bags with the squad logo were also carried through.

But the disappointed fans were informed just before 7am that the team would not be walking through arrivals.

Lionesses fan Joanne Bruce, 51, travelled from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire to the airport at 10.30pm on Monday night with her niece and sister in the hope of thanking the team for their tournament performance.

She told the PA news agency: “We haven’t slept, we have just laughed and joked.

“It was just the three of us to start with. My sister was like ‘I really want to go early’.”

A small number of fans watched at arrivals for a little longer just to be sure they had not missed out on any action.