Police probe crowd trouble at Cricket WC

LONDON, July 03 (AFP): Police have launched an investigation after "unprecedented" crowd trouble at the World Cup match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at Headingley, during which a number of arrests were made.

West Yorkshire Police said they received reports of people climbing over a wall, assaulting staff on a gate and a fan going on to the pitch at Saturday's game in Leeds.

Videos shared on social media show a fight between fans outside the ground, with a metal barrier being brandished and kicks, punches and shouting.

Police said mobile phone footage showed people being assaulted, and appealed for anyone who was a victim or witness of an attack, or who has original footage of the incidents, to contact them.

Superintendent Chris Bowen said police in Leeds recognised the need for a "full and comprehensive criminal investigation".

"While these were isolated incidents, involving a relative minority of people attending the event, the scenes that were witnessed were completely unprecedented at a cricket match," he said.

Bowen said crowd trouble at cricket was "relatively unheard of" and the match had been assessed as low risk, with no need for a police presence.