A gang of weapon-wielding youths attacked Police, fans and a player during a football match at Devonshire Rec, Magistrates' Court has heard.

One Police officer told how two culprits refused to drop their machetes, while others threw rocks at him.

P.c David Harris recalled that babies and young children were among the 700-strong crowd watching Paget Community FC play Wolves last October. As the violence flared, he told the court that some fans ran onto the field in fear.

Paget president Michael Stovell said of the attackers: "Whatever they could pick up was flying — rocks, bottles and cans."

The only person charged over the fracas was 16-year-old Sanchey Kijuan Grant. He denies that he was armed with two rocks in a manner that would cause terror, possessed an offensive weapon in the form of stones and rocks and behaved in a threatening manner.

During Grant's trial, which began yesterday, P.c Harris said he was on duty with P.c. Miguel Medford when he spotted 15 men, aged around 17 to 20, enter through the Frog Lane gate on motorcycles. All were wearing black.

"About five members of the group spoke to two men that were seated close to where I stood. I recall they said: 'You're lucky you have Police protection today."

P.c. Harris said the group left but returned on foot five minutes later, armed with machetes and stones. They headed straight for the same two fans.

He said he "clearly recognised" Sanchey Grant and saw two stones in his hands. He added that he'd met Grant before in his duties.

Mr. Stovell alleged that a group of young men dressed in black rode into the ground on motorbikes during the game. They engaged in a verbal confrontation with fans near the two Police officers in the bleachers, which he described as "just a lot of cursing," before riding out again.

Later, he said, ten to 12 black-clad men came into the ground through a fence, some wearing crash helmets. Two or three of them threatened a Paget player whom he knows as "Levi" as he came out of the bathroom.

"Mr. Stovell said the Police turned up, the referee called the game off, and he and the team left the ground. No-one was hurt, but cars were damaged.

The case is set to continue on February 18. Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo extended bail to Grant, of North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish, until that date.

• Two more games involving Paget have been called off since October with Sunday's match at Lords was after skirmishes.