A regional daily political reporter needed stitches yesterday after being elbowed in the face by Shadow chancellor Ed Balls.

Northern Echo political editor Rob Merrick was left with blood pouring down his face after clashing with the politician at the start of Labour’s conference in Manchester.

But the bloody encounter between the burly MP and the long-standing lobby journalist was not the result of a new aggressive cuts strategy by Labour’s Treasury chief.

Instead the pair were taking part in the annual ‘friendly’ football match between lobby journalists and politicians which customarily marks the start of the Labour gathering.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls catches the Northern Echo's Rob Merrick with his arm during the annual charity match. Picture Andrew Parsons/I-Images

Mr Balls, a fanatical Norwich City supporter, has been a fixture in the event since he was Gordon Brown’s researcher in the 1990s and plays centre forward for Labour’s team.

Rob, a combative central midfielder, left the pitch after the clash, but returned to the fray after being patched up by the waiting St John’s ambulance staff.

Another regional political hack, Graeme Demianyk of the Western Morning News, was also forced off the pitch after suffering a ‘dead leg’ in a separate clash with Mr Balls.

The game, held in aid of breast cancer research, ended 3-1 to the lobby team, with Graeme among the scorers.

Top former referee Graham Poll said Balls should have been red-carded for the elbow on Rob.

He told the Daily Mail:  “As the pictures show, Ed deliberately brought his arm and elbow into the face of Rob Merrick – a clear foul and an obvious sending off.

A spokesman for the journalists’ team said:  “Rob felt a boom, and then suddenly he was bust.”

He added: “It was an accident.  Ed is a bruiser in every respect, but on this occasion he did not intend to injure Rob.”

No hard feelings as the pair shake hands at the end of the match. Picture Andrew Parsons/I-Images