VIOLENCE at children's football matches reached a new low over the weekend when a man and a teenager were arrested, and a young boy needed medical treatment, after trouble erupted during an under-15s football tournament.

Five minutes before the whistle in the final, held at Bishop Auckland on Saturday, a parent stormed the pitch and grabbed hold of one of the home team players.

In the melee that followed, one boy was trampled and the police and ambulance service were called.

Former world cup referee George Courtney, from Spennymoor, described the incident as “abhorrent” and evidence of a deepening problem of spectators abusing referees and players.

Tournament organiser Stephen Coulthard, of St Mary’s Junior Football Club in Bishop Auckland, spoke of his distress that the actions of one individual had ruined a wonderful weekend of grassroots sport.

“I have never seen anything like this before, not in all the 45 years I’ve been involved in football,” he said.

“We’d been having a great day and we didn’t receive a single complaint from any of the other 65 teams. One parent spoilt it for everyone.

"The other players were shaken up. It is not something they have seen before and we never want them to have to see it again. We are a friendly and welcoming club.”

The violence occurred during the final between Bishop Auckland Under 15 Aces and an away team from Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

The Northern Echo understands a parent of one of the Barnsley players had disagreed with a decision made by the referee and had run on to the pitch and grabbed hold of one of the Bishop Auckland players.

The victim’s parent then ran on to defend his son and the disturbance escalated.

Police officers attended the scene shortly after 4.30pm and arrested a 38-year-old man from Barnsley and a 14-year-old local boy in connection with the incident.

Durham Police has confirmed a small number of people required medical treatment and it is believed one boy was injured after being trampled on.

Run by committed, FA qualified volunteers, St Mary’s Juniors is an award-winning football club that has earned high praise for helping hundreds of youngsters enjoy more active lifestyles.

Mr Courtney, who has refereed for the club many times, said there was no way the organisers could have predicted what was going to happen.

“St Mary’s is outstanding, a model organisation,” he said. “I am sure they are mortified by what has happened but it was not their fault.

"In all the years I have been involved in local football I have never witnessed arrests like this. The problem is deepening, of that there is no doubt. All you have to do is look at the statistics on assaults on referees.

"Parents must set a good example and the referee must take a tough stance on this kind of abhorrent behaviour.

“Football has become far too competitive at too young an age and it is the children that suffer.”

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 314 from July 9.