NORTH-EAST football fans have been paid thousands of pounds in damages after an elite police squad stormed through a pub as they enjoyed a drink after a match.

Wearing riot gear and face masks, the officers of the Greater Manchester Tactical Aid Unit converged on the pub following an FA Cup semi-final between Newcastle and Sheffield United.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has now upheld complaints from the supporters - including a retired detective and chamber of commerce executive - that they were "unlawfully assaulted". Greater Manchester Police has agreed to pay compensation and costs.

But the officers responsible have escaped punishment. Police chiefs have branded them "despicable" but insist they have been unable to bring charges because they could not be individually identified.

In future, the unit will be banned from wearing face- concealing hoods unless there is a fire risk and helmets will display prominent identity numbers.

Last night, one innocent victim, retired detective Russell Grayson, labelled them "nothing more than thugs".

Father-of-three Mr Gray-son, 55, had been to the game with friends and was enjoying a pint in Wetherspoon's pub, near Manchester's Piccadilly railway station, as he waited for his train back to his home on Tyneside.

When police stormed the pub he was hit over the head and back with a police baton.

At hospital he needed to have four staples put in his head to secure the wound.

Another Magpies fan, Graham Helling, 44, said: "The police suddenly charged through the pub, lashing out with their batons."

At first, police claimed they had to act as they did in order to clear the pub of "hooligans".

But no arrests were made and a PCA inquiry upheld complaints from several fans that they were assaulted .

The injured, including Mr Grayson and Mr Helling, have now been paid between £10,000 and £15,000 each in compensation. Together with legal costs, the ratepayers of Manchester face a bill in excess of £100,000 for the actions of the Tactical Aid Unit.

Police had initially been called to the pub following a minor scuffle in which two men had been ejected.

The PCA report states: "There is ample evidence to suggest that the atmosphere in the pub was good and generally non-confrontational."

The report said that the violence began as a crush developed at the exits.

"A number of TAU officers then, and afterwards on the street, treated members of the public with unjustified and unnecessary force, causing injury to them."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that compensation had been paid.

He added: "We do not tolerate the type of despicable behaviour in evidence on this occasion and had those responsible been identified it is without doubt they would have faced both criminal and disciplinary proceedings."