Bottles thrown as football fans clash

GLASSES and bottles were hurled by football fans in Royton on Saturday as pre-match tension reached fever pitch.

The Boundary Park match between Latics and Sheffield United saw revellers descend on Royton town centre for drinks. However rivalry escalated when around 15 Latics supporters broke away from the main group and started heckling Sheffield United fans, who were contained in the Railway Inn pub in Rochdale Road.

Both groups are reported to have been provoking each other as the trouble moved out in the street and glasses and bottles were thrown in the air.

Police had anticipated the clash and managed to nip the trouble in the bud.

Members of the Tactical Aid Unit supported local officers who cordoned off the area on Rochdale Road and split up the opposing fans.

No injuries were reported and direction-to-leave orders were used by police to prevent fighting.