A press photographer had to have police protection as he left a football ground following an FA Trophy clash.

Trouble flared at the match between Burton Albion and Bishop Auckland when some of the 250 visiting fans left a trail of destruction at Eton Park.

The photographer, Ian Hodgkinson, from the Burton Mail, was advised by police to leave 15 minutes before full-time after visiting fans threatened to attack him.

Trouble had flared earlier when a pub was looted and a shop attacked. There were two pitch invasions at the game itself and extra police had to be drafted in from a Stoke City match to deal with the problems.

Ian said fans began hurling abuse and threats during the first half and he took the police advice to leave early. Officers escorted him to his car as some of the crowd pursued him out of the ground.

He said: “It was worrying at the time but I never really felt at risk.

“There were plenty of police there and they did an excellent job clamping down on trouble as soon as it started.

“I’ve never had any trouble like that before – Burton Albion’s usually a good place to go.”

Three arrests for public order offences were made. And in the clash on the field, Albion won 2-0.

Do you have a story for us?
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
01332 291111 x6022, or to e-mail us now – click here