Brawl inquiry launched

Ice hockey

An inquiry has been launched by the British Ice Hockey Association after the Humberside Hawks against Durham Wasps championship play-off match at Sunderland on Saturday was halted by police after only 58 seconds. They had been called in response to a pre-match incident and stopped play when they arrested two Wasps players on the ice.

Before the game, Hawks' Bruce Bell sustained serious facial injuries during the warm-up session. Bell, who walked out on the Wasps before signing for the Hawks six weeks ago, was allegedly assaulted by two of his former team-mates. Bell sustained a broken nose, lost two teeth and suffered concussion. Stewards called in the police following a mass brawl broke out on the ice.

Durham's Ross Lambert and Johnathan Weaver were taken from the rink in handcuffs and later the Hawks players Mike Bishop, Graham Garden, Ian Pound and Norman Pinnington were also arrested.

The four Hawks players were released after questioning, while the Durham pair were released on police bail pending further investigations.