RIVAL gangs of soccer thugs brought violence to a North-East town on the first day of the football season.

Hartlepool shoppers ran for cover when what police believe was an arranged street battle broke out in the town centre.

A Hartlepool youth was injured and four Mansfield supporters arrested following the clash.

Police believe the battle was arranged over the Internet and mobile phones.

More than 60 youths clashed before kick-off in Saturday's Division Three Hartlepool versus Mansfield match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Cleveland Police discovered that some fans from Mansfield and Nottingham hired a coach to take them to Easington, in County Durham, to avoid police checks near the Hartlepool ground.

Splitting up into smaller groups they then travelled into the town in a succession of taxis.

There was the suggestion last night that mobile phones were used to guide cab-loads of hooligans around waiting police.

When it came, the fighting flared in Victoria Road, spilling over into York Road in the centre of town.

Detective Sergeant Chris Stephenson said: "There was what appears to have been a well planned, pre-arranged meeting between two groups of football supporters."

The injured Hartlepool youth, who was struck in the face with a snooker cue, stolen from a pub outside Hartlepool, gave police a statement from his hospital bed yesterday. He has a broken nose and facial cuts.

It is believed he swallowed his tongue and had to be revived in the street. The four arrested Mansfield fans have been released on bail.