Cop knocks 7 bells out of colleague

David Knox 1607 - 1607 • Last updated 15 Apr 2009 09:16 5 Comments

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A CROWD control cop ended up in hospital on Saturday - after being batoned on the head by his team-mate at Melrose Sevens.

The officers were trying to break up a running battle in Melrose Square between gangs from Galashiels and Kelso.

But as they piled into the action one free-swing officer clubbed his colleague.

The constable required stitches for a head wound at Borders General Hospital.

A police insider told the Border Telegraph: 'This has caused a lot of hilarity at the station although it was an unfortunate accident. There is certainly no bad feeling between the two officers - they are still friends.'

Around 12,000 visitors arrived in Melrose for the annual Sevens tournament.

But two notorious gangs - Kelso"s Mitzi Crew and the Gala Youth Team - used the occasion to square up for a pre-arranged fight.

Around a dozen men in their late teens attacked each other at around 4.30pm on the High Street.

Alison Paton, from Newcastle, witnessed the violence. She said: 'There were two gangs exchanging threats and suddenly they just ran at each other. This isn"t the kind of thing you would expect on a Saturday afternoon in Melrose. It was over pretty quickly when the police arrived but it was still unpleasant.'

Police made four arrests during the gang war. And within an hour another two teenagers from Kelso - a 16-year-old and 17-year-old - were picked up for further offending including police assault.

Sergeant Andy Lee, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: 'A number of officers were required to control the incident and one of them received head injuries in the line of his duty.

"Investigations are ongoing into the incident and more arrests could be still be made.'

Despite the afternoon of violence the rest of the weekend"s festivities went without incident.

The tournament, which became a three-day event last year, attracts visitors from all over the UK.

And Douglas Hardie from the tournament"s organising committee is confident the extra celebrations will continue. He told us: 'There was as many as 800 people in the marquee on Saturday night without a single problem.

'I would hope that the extra entertainment and extra tournaments will continue. We shouldn"t allow these isolated incidents to stop everyone else enjoying themselves.'

William Windram from Melrose Community Council added: 'Any large gathering will attract an element of troublemakers and I"m sure these problems can be looked at.

'Otherwise the tournament was a great success and the organisers should be congratulated.'

DO YOU HAVE A FUNNY STORY? Email our reporters: editorial@bordertelegraph.com

This article appeared in Border Telegraph 15 Apr 09

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Hazelkaye
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Apr 18, 08:40
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A baton-wielding cop in London KILLED an innocent bystander!! Hardly a cause for "hilarity"!!

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Hazelkaye
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Apr 20, 19:33
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"DO YOU HAVE A 'FUNNY' STORY"??????

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Jimmy Boyle
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Apr 24, 04:31
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a hink its pretty god damn funny ma self

bloody nugget

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Jimmy Boyle
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Apr 24, 04:32
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LOL

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Jimmy Boyle
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Apr 24, 04:32
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nice wan

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