Angela Rayner MP has expressed her disgust and thanked police officers who bravely stepped in after violence flared on the streets with football hooligans involved in a mass brawl.
Sickening video footage emerged ahead of Oldham Athletic's game against AFC Wrexham at Boundary Park on Saturday afternoon, showing dozens of thugs fighting each other as police officers move in to face them.
The scenes were filmed by a shopper looking on from the Tesco Extra store on Ashton Road West, a residential street in Failsworth, Oldham, at around 2pm. Separate footage, meanwhile, shows fighting breaking out on nearby Lord Lane. Riot officers from Greater Manchester Police were reportedly called to the scene in both cases.
Taking to Twitter, the deputy leader of the Labour Party blasted those involved for bringing violence and danger to residential streets 'where kids play'. Greater Manchester Police are yet to comment.
Ms Rayner, the Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, tweeted: "Disgusted to see the brawl in the streets this afternoon in Failsworth before today's match. This was the middle of the afternoon in a residential area where kids play. Thank you to Greater Manchester Police who were on scene to protect the public."
The footage shows two groups of thugs dressed largely in black with their faces covered squaring up to one another as punches are thrown and kicks landed.
A member of the public, a man, is captured running away and a car with people inside ends up trapped in the midst of the violence in the middle of the road.
Objects are thrown and one man appears to be punched to the floor before GMP officers with batons raised bravely confront the thugs.
A police van parks in the middle of the road, splitting the two gangs, before officers form a line to move a number of those involved back.
There have also been reports of cars being damaged, bottles smashed on streets and wheelie bins tipped over. One witness reported around 10 police vans attended.
Separate video footage seen by the Manchester Evening News shows what are believed to be Wrexham supporters walking up past houses on Lord Lane, with further fighting and the police called.
A bus is stranded in the middle of the road as men trade punches - and bricks can be seen lying on the road.
The M.E.N. has contacted Greater Manchester Police for further comment.
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