A MELEE broke out during a children’s football match in Halesowen which saw parents fighting and the referee attacked.

The Halesowen Town Colts and Halesowen Harriers U14s match descended into violence on Sunday afternoon at Newfield Park, Whittingham Road.

Tempers flared after a contentious decision and then referee Oliver Howard was attacked.

During the ensuing fight a parent was also injured and needed stitches for his wounds.

Police were called to the scene where shocked parents and children had looked on in horror at the attack.

A parent, who did not want to named, said: “It was absolutely sickening, this was a children’s football match and to see such violence was a shock for everyone.

“We all know parents and team management can get carried away but this was on another level.”

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “A man has been arrested following an assault at a Halesowen amateur football match.

“Police were called to Newfield Park, Whittingham Road at around 1.55pm following reports that a 49-year-old man had been assaulted.”

She added: “Officers arrested a 52-year-old man from an address in Halesowen at around 2.30pm.

“The man has been bailed pending further police enquiries.”

The referee of the match, Mr Howard, told the News: “I’m as well as I can be after something like this.”

He did not want to go into the details of the attack until the County FA had completed its investigations.

Stourbridge and District Youth and Girls Football League has tried to cut down the amount of abuse referees receive on the pitch.

Brett Harrington, referees appointments officer, said: “We have a Respect officer whose team has been observing matches to see how the refs are treated.

“We are committed to bringing down the amount of abuse referees suffer from parents and players.”

Both Halesowen Harriers and Halesowen Town Colts were unavailable for comment concerning the match on Sunday as the News went to press.