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| Pc describes Uefa fan mob attack | Pc describes Uefa fan mob attack |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| A police officer says he was lucky to escape serious injury after he was set upon by a mob of Rangers fans. | |
| Pc Mick Regan was kicked, punched and stamped on when he slipped helping a colleague get away from bottle-hurling fans in Manchester city centre. | Pc Mick Regan was kicked, punched and stamped on when he slipped helping a colleague get away from bottle-hurling fans in Manchester city centre. |
| He said the scenes after Rangers' Uefa Cup final defeat were the worst he had witnessed in 23 years with the force. | |
| The 47-year-old revealed he was only saved by two Rangers fans who dragged him away from the mob. | |
| The former Territorial Army soldier's ordeal was captured by police cameras following the violence which started after Wednesday's match. | |
| Trouble first flared in Piccadilly Gardens after a technical fault with a big screen left up to 20,000 fans frustrated. I feel lucky; whoever that army lad was, he wants a medal Pc Regan | |
| Riot police were sent in as violent clashes broke out along nearby Market Street, Oldham Street and Newton Street. | Riot police were sent in as violent clashes broke out along nearby Market Street, Oldham Street and Newton Street. |
| Pc Regan, from Offerton, Stockport, was on duty for public order and not riot control, but said he sensed the mood was darkening as he listened to the police radio on the way in to the city. | Pc Regan, from Offerton, Stockport, was on duty for public order and not riot control, but said he sensed the mood was darkening as he listened to the police radio on the way in to the city. |
| "From the outset we were bombarded with bottles and cans as we tried to contain and disperse the crowd," he said. | |
| "It was unbelievable when we got there - it was already in motion. It was frightening, on a different scale from any other match I have worked in my 23-year career." | "It was unbelievable when we got there - it was already in motion. It was frightening, on a different scale from any other match I have worked in my 23-year career." |
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| CCTV footage of Rangers fans and Manchester police clashes | CCTV footage of Rangers fans and Manchester police clashes |
| As the trouble wore on Pc Regan and a handful of colleagues found themselves being pushed down Newton Street by a mass of fans hurling bottles. | As the trouble wore on Pc Regan and a handful of colleagues found themselves being pushed down Newton Street by a mass of fans hurling bottles. |
| The officer said he got into trouble after being hit by a bottle from a distance of about four feet which struck his elbow. | The officer said he got into trouble after being hit by a bottle from a distance of about four feet which struck his elbow. |
| Pc Regan said: "I remember moving backwards to try and avoid being hit again but next thing I was on the floor. | Pc Regan said: "I remember moving backwards to try and avoid being hit again but next thing I was on the floor. |
| "I could feel the crowd kicking me in the side but my body armour was protecting me. I could see their feet in front of me even though my head was on the floor. | "I could feel the crowd kicking me in the side but my body armour was protecting me. I could see their feet in front of me even though my head was on the floor. |
| I'd have been seriously injured... I knew I was going to get done over Pc Regan | |
| "I managed to get up but I'd lost my baton and had nothing to defend myself with. | "I managed to get up but I'd lost my baton and had nothing to defend myself with. |
| "I started to try and run - I'm a fit lad and I do marathons but I think I must have been winded because I couldn't run properly even though I knew I was being followed by the mob." | "I started to try and run - I'm a fit lad and I do marathons but I think I must have been winded because I couldn't run properly even though I knew I was being followed by the mob." |
| Pc Regan, a former Territorial Army soldier, escaped with sore ribs and a puncture wound to his arm. | Pc Regan, a former Territorial Army soldier, escaped with sore ribs and a puncture wound to his arm. |
| But he said if it had not been for a Good Samaritan who pulled him away from the melee he would have been more seriously injured. | But he said if it had not been for a Good Samaritan who pulled him away from the melee he would have been more seriously injured. |
| 'Big minority' | |
| He said: "I saw two lads coming from my right; I thought they were going to have a go. | He said: "I saw two lads coming from my right; I thought they were going to have a go. |
| "But one of them shouted at me saying, 'I'm British Army, I'm a medic'. He grabbed me by the collar and he propelled me up the street. | "But one of them shouted at me saying, 'I'm British Army, I'm a medic'. He grabbed me by the collar and he propelled me up the street. |
| "If they had not come along at that point I'd have been in big trouble. I'd have been seriously injured. I knew I was going to get done over. | "If they had not come along at that point I'd have been in big trouble. I'd have been seriously injured. I knew I was going to get done over. |
| "I feel lucky; whoever that army lad was, he wants a medal." | "I feel lucky; whoever that army lad was, he wants a medal." |
| But despite the widespread condemnation of the Rangers fans, Pc Regan added: "I can't tar them all with the same brush. | But despite the widespread condemnation of the Rangers fans, Pc Regan added: "I can't tar them all with the same brush. |
| "The fans we met at the rendezvous point who were coming away from the stadium were as good as gold but the people who were kicking off were drunk and out for trouble. | "The fans we met at the rendezvous point who were coming away from the stadium were as good as gold but the people who were kicking off were drunk and out for trouble. |
| "I know they will say it's a minority but a few thousand is a big minority." | "I know they will say it's a minority but a few thousand is a big minority." |