POLICE reinforcements were drafted in to West End yesterday afternoon as trouble flared between groups of rival fans at Hampshire's Rose Bowl.

About 5,000 spectators were at the home of Hampshire cricket to watch the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final between the West Indies and Pakistan.

A call for back-up went out from police officers at the ground at 3.10pm after a fight broke out involving two groups.

Three people were detained by police, the Hampshire Constabulary spotter plane was put on standby and nearly 40 officers were deployed in what was described as a "very volatile" situation.

Bottles were thrown at the police as two people were arrested and stewards, backed by police, ejected a group from the ground - only for trouble to flare on the other side of the stadium.

Just over ten minutes after the call for back-up went out, police were saying the situation was calming down - although they feared there could be problems at the end of the game.

Officers were sent to West End High Street in case of trouble after the match and the police spotter plane was put on standby as they kept a close watch on the situation and monitored closed-circuit television.

The match finished at 4pm and there were fears that more problems could break out as a huge queue for park-and-ride buses built up. The spotter plane was deployed to keep a watching brief, but the crowd dispersed peacefully and by 4.44pm the 25 police units sent to the scene were being stood down.

Today a police spokesman said: "It looked like there was a potential for a large problem because there was so much riding on the match but, fortunately, it didn't happen. Thanks to everyone, a very volatile situation was contained well and professionally."

Of the three people detained by police, one was ejected from the ground with no further action and a second man was given an £80 on-the-spot fixed penalty notice.

The third, a 35-year-old man from Wembley, London, was taken into custody and later charged with drunk and disorderly behaviour. He was released on bail to appear before Southampton Magistrates in November.

Today Rose Bowl projects director Geoff Cox said the fight had involved ten to 15 people in each group and had been sparked by rivalry and the way the match was going.

He commented: "It was just one of those things that happen. It was defused very quickly by stewards with the support of the police."