THE Football Association has launched an investigation into disgraceful scenes during a North-East amateur football final.

The showdown between two bitter rivals had to be abandoned when the match ended in uproar with a pitch invasion.

Witnesses said about 60 spectators raced on to the field after violence erupted in the game between Newton Aycliffe and Darlington town centre pub, the Greyhound.

An investigation was order-ed amid claims the violence started when punches were exchanged between players.

The Kingfisher Finance Trophy Final, which took place at the Darlington RA ground, was the third time the teams had met in a fortnight.

Doug Hawman, secretary of the Darlington and District League, said the match between the top two teams in the league threatened to be fiery from the start.

He said: "The two teams do not get on and it had always been a powder keg waiting to go off."

The match was a tense affair throughout and went into extra-time. With the score standing at 2-1 to Newton Aycliffe, the match boiled over when Greyhound player Peter Robson was sent off for a foul.

Mr Hawman said: "There was a bit of pushing and shoving and a couple of players got assaulted and that's when the spectators ran on to the pitch.

"I've never seen anything like it in 45 years of being in local football.

"Some of them may have come on the pitch to try to calm things down, but there were about 60 people milling about."

Referee Chris Ellis had no option but to abandon the match because of the sheer number of people.

Both teams have been reported to the Durham County FA, which will decide what disciplinary action to take. The player whose sending-off sparked the incident has also been reported and suspended.

Mr Hawman said: "The league's committee has decided to abandon the competition for the season because neither club could really give any guarantee that the same thing would not occur.

"As far as I'm concerned, the two teams blew it and they don't deserve a second chance."