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'How I saved Pc from Rangers mob' | 'How I saved Pc from Rangers mob' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A former soldier has described how he dragged a police officer away from a mob of Rangers fans in Manchester. | A former soldier has described how he dragged a police officer away from a mob of Rangers fans in Manchester. |
Tom Bardsley said he feared Pc Mick Regan would not get away from the group, who were acting like a "pack of wolves who had not been fed for days". | |
Mr Bardsley, 23, dragged the officer along the street before throwing him in a police van around the corner. | Mr Bardsley, 23, dragged the officer along the street before throwing him in a police van around the corner. |
The violent scenes followed Wednesday's Uefa Cup final between the Glasgow team and Zenit St Petersburg, who won 2-0. | |
Pc Regan's ordeal was captured by CCTV following the violence which started after Rangers lost the game. | Pc Regan's ordeal was captured by CCTV following the violence which started after Rangers lost the game. |
He was pursued down the street in Manchester city centre by a mob of about 20 Rangers fans before being tripped and set upon. | He was pursued down the street in Manchester city centre by a mob of about 20 Rangers fans before being tripped and set upon. |
The adrenaline just kicked in Tom Bardsley Pc describes mob attackMan Utd parade cancelled | The adrenaline just kicked in Tom Bardsley Pc describes mob attackMan Utd parade cancelled |
On Saturday, Mr Bardsley described how he pushed a youth away before grabbing Pc Regan and pulling him down the street. | On Saturday, Mr Bardsley described how he pushed a youth away before grabbing Pc Regan and pulling him down the street. |
The father-of-one, from Openshaw, Greater Manchester had just left an internet cafe in Newton Street when the violence broke out. | The father-of-one, from Openshaw, Greater Manchester had just left an internet cafe in Newton Street when the violence broke out. |
He said he saw a man running towards Pc Regan "aiming a kick" and jumped into action. | He said he saw a man running towards Pc Regan "aiming a kick" and jumped into action. |
Mr Bardsley, who served in the 26 Engineer Regiment at Bulworth Garrison, said he had served in a number of war zones but had witnessed nothing like the scenes in Manchester. | Mr Bardsley, who served in the 26 Engineer Regiment at Bulworth Garrison, said he had served in a number of war zones but had witnessed nothing like the scenes in Manchester. |
"I would describe it as wolves who had not been fed for days. I did not think of any danger to me just the safety of others and making sure everyone was getting out okay," he said. | "I would describe it as wolves who had not been fed for days. I did not think of any danger to me just the safety of others and making sure everyone was getting out okay," he said. |
"I knew that if no-one was going to get him (the officer) he wasn't going to make it. I thought 'sod it' I did not care that bottles and bricks were being thrown at me. The adrenaline just kicked in." | "I knew that if no-one was going to get him (the officer) he wasn't going to make it. I thought 'sod it' I did not care that bottles and bricks were being thrown at me. The adrenaline just kicked in." |
City 'like Basra' | City 'like Basra' |
But Mr Bardsley did not end his heroics there - a short time later he helped a water rescue team pull a Rangers fan from a canal. | But Mr Bardsley did not end his heroics there - a short time later he helped a water rescue team pull a Rangers fan from a canal. |
And later, he pulled an unconscious man from the mass of rubbish left across the city, threw him over his shoulder and sprinted 150m to a nearby ambulance. | And later, he pulled an unconscious man from the mass of rubbish left across the city, threw him over his shoulder and sprinted 150m to a nearby ambulance. |
Finally, he chased away two men in Rangers shirts who were looting a police van. | Finally, he chased away two men in Rangers shirts who were looting a police van. |
Mr Bardsley said he did not think anything of his actions until the CCTV coverage of Pc Regan was splashed across news bulletins. | Mr Bardsley said he did not think anything of his actions until the CCTV coverage of Pc Regan was splashed across news bulletins. |
"The next day the city centre looked like a scene from Basra - like a bomb had hit it. I was angry that the Rangers fans had done this." | "The next day the city centre looked like a scene from Basra - like a bomb had hit it. I was angry that the Rangers fans had done this." |
He went to Longsight Police Station, where Pc Regan was based, to check on his condition and was thanked by a police superintendent, but is yet to meet the officer again in person. | He went to Longsight Police Station, where Pc Regan was based, to check on his condition and was thanked by a police superintendent, but is yet to meet the officer again in person. |
"My ambition is to work in either the ambulance service or the police force. The superintendent told me if I have ever applied in his area he would give me a job straight away," he said. | "My ambition is to work in either the ambulance service or the police force. The superintendent told me if I have ever applied in his area he would give me a job straight away," he said. |
Wednesday's trouble first flared in Piccadilly Gardens after a technical fault with a big screen left up to 20,000 fans frustrated. | Wednesday's trouble first flared in Piccadilly Gardens after a technical fault with a big screen left up to 20,000 fans frustrated. |
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. |
Manchester United's planned homecoming parade after next week's Champions League final has been cancelled, partly in response to the scenes of disorder. | Manchester United's planned homecoming parade after next week's Champions League final has been cancelled, partly in response to the scenes of disorder. |