BOXING chiefs have ordered an urgent inquiry after rioting fans brought shame to a North-East title fight.

About 40 fans traded blows and threw chairs, tables and glasses at each other when trouble erupted as boxers Francis Jones and Danny Moir looked on.

A 70-year-old man had his ear slashed in the riot at the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington, and an 18-year-old suffered a two-inch cut to his head.

A 700-strong crowd bought £20-30 tickets to roar on local boy Jones and Moir, from Gateshead.

One Darlington spectator said trouble started to brew when fans began to chant for their home towns. "It got more and more tense," he said. "The singing got louder and a massive fight broke out with people throwing chairs in all directions."

The fighters were into the third round of their northern area light middleweight contest when the referee called a halt.

Pleas by the boxers to their fans fell on deaf ears.

Police were called and while no arrests were made, details were taken from those involved and will be followed up in the coming weeks. "We escorted people from Gateshead to the coaches and told them to leave Darlington," said a police spokesman.

The professional northern area championship fights have been held in the town for years and organiser David Garside said it was the first time the boxing had to stop because of a riot.

"We are very disappointed," he said. "It will be investigated by the British Board of Boxing Control and we will be making our own inquiries."

Mr Garside threatened never to hold a boxing match in the town again, describing the rioters as "animals".

John Jarrett, the northern area secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control attended the event and said he had never seen anything like it in 50 years.

"There were people there from both Tyneside and Darlington not for the boxing but for their own power punch up," he said.

The board will consider the results of its investigations when it meets in the region next Sunday.

Mr Jarrett also said the riot had put the future of boxing events in Darlington under serious question.

Acting Sergeant Alistair Henry, of Darlington police, said: "Each boxer had their supporters and let's just say they didn't get on very well."

Anyone with information on the riot should call police on (01325) 467681.