Tense scenes as police corral football fans after West Yorkshire derby

One of the main streets in Huddersfield town centre was blocked for around half an hour as police corralled a group of Huddersfield Town fans in a location between the bus station and train station.

The match between Huddersfield and Leeds - Bradford City's two main local rivals - finished 1-1 in an eary 12.30 kick-off at the John Smiths Stadium. 

Police horses and dozens of officers kept the group surrounded, ensuring they couldn't get to any Leeds fans.

As the tense scenes unfolded, police officers could be seen running through the town centre as sirens rang out.

It meant that Westgate was effectively closed to traffic until police decided how to disperse the sizeable crowd safely.

Near the Post Office building in the town centre, police had detained a man, who was in handcuffs.

Town centre shoppers seemed bemused by the blockage of Westgate, Huddersfield (Image: T&A)

The chaotic scenes on Westgate meant a queue of buses developed, with traffic at a standstill. Rail replacement buses, in action due to the closure of the railway station, were among those forced to wait.

One Leeds United supporter, speaking in the Head of Steam pub, said: "We had got on the bus to head home but it hadn't moved for 25 minutes because of the huge police operation.

Mounted police join the large operation in Huddersfield town centre (Image: T&A)

"The traffic lights kept going green then red then green and we just weren't moving, so we thought, forget this, we're getting off.

"We're just having a pint while it all calms down and this is a great pub, so there's worse places to be stuck. We love real ale and we don't want to get involved in any of that nonsense. It's a shame it happens."

Police heading towards a group of volatile Huddersfield Town supporters (Image: T&A)

Asked who they saw as Leeds United's biggest rivalry within West Yorkshire, the fan said: "If you asked us dads, it's Bradford City all day long - 100 per cent.

"For us, as we're younger and haven't played Bradford for ages, apart from some cup ties, it's Town we want to beat.

"Also, I think it depends where you live. If you're from Pudsey and support Leeds, it's Bradford you wanna beat. If it's Birstall or Cleckheaton, it's probably Town.

"But outside West Yorkshire, I can't even describe how much I like to see Man U lose. I know Huddersfield and Bradford hate us, but I hope they support the Yorkshire team against the Lancashire team when we play Man U. After all, we're all YRA." 

Police running towards the trouble in Westgate, Huddersfield (Image: T&A)

Gradually, members of the group of boisterous Huddersfield fans were released from within the area that had been circled by police, drifting off towards the bus station. At one point a group of 13-year-olds approached the scene and tried to join the chaos. A stern police officer could be heard to say: "You're kids, do you really want to get mixed up in hooliganism. Go home to your mums."

Police displaying considerable urgency as they nipped potential violence in the bud (Image: T&A)

The youngsters took the firm advice and trudged away. 

One onlooker said: "It was a bit worrying. A group of lads went through the town centre and loads of police were running after them. 

"The police reacted quickly and seemed to get things under control quickly but it's caused a lot of disruption, with Westgate blocked off."