SIX people have been arrested following an outbreak of violence at a football game that left children injured.

Middlesbrough Football Club has pledged to do everything it can to help identify and bring to justice those responsible for violent crowd behaviour that erupted on Saturday.

Children as young as ten were injured when they got caught up in the disorder involving fans from the home team and those from visiting Sheffield United.

Cleveland Police has condemned the violence and launched a full investigation into the investigation into the violence, which took place in the stands, on the pitch and, later, outside the stadium.

So far, there have been six arrests as a result of the police investigation.

Sheffield man Richard Ball, 47, has been charged with a public order offence and will appear at Teesside Magistrates Court next month.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class A drug but later released with no further action being taken while two men aged 20 and 58 were cautioned for pitch invasion.

Two more men, aged 35 and 52, were arrested on suspicion of affray and were released under investigation.

A statement posted on Middlesbrough FC's website today says the club "deplores" the behaviour of the people involved in the incidents which occurred at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

The statment adds: "We will do our utmost to ensure that they are identified and appropriate actions are taken.

"We pride ourselves on being a family club, and there is absolutely no place for the incidents of violence and threatening behaviour that occurred both inside the stadium and also in the coach and car park areas after game.

"We also condemn the wanton vandalism and destruction of club property that occurred in the concourse area within the away enclosure.

"As a club we adopt a zero tolerance towards the type of behaviour that was witnessed on Saturday and we will be working closely with Cleveland Police and Sheffield United officials, using the extensive CCTV footage we have available, to identify the culprits and bring them to justice.

"We are also meeting with a number of supporters today, who were unwittingly caught up in the disturbances outside, and we shall be seeking their views on the scenes that occurred."