Terrifying moment police officer goes up in flames as Polish hooligans launch 'worst football violence seen in decades' on British streets

By ROBERT FOLKER, NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:38, 10 July 2026 | Updated: 10:45, 10 July 2026 This is the terrifying moment a police officer was engulfed in flames after being attacked by Legia Warsaw fans ahead of their clash with Aston Villa. Eight men have pleaded guilty to their involvement in what police have called the 'worst violence seen in decades' at a football match. Officers were attacked by Polish hooligans who had armed themselves with poles and drainpipes ahead of the Europa Conference League match in November 2023.  Burning flares, bricks and bottles were hurled towards 300 officers during '90 minutes of sustained violence' outside Villa Park. More than 40 people were arrested, and 700 hours of body-worn camera footage has been reviewed as part of the investigation.  New footage shows the moment one officer was set alight by a flare thrown which became stuck in his clothing as his colleagues attempt to put out the flames.  In the footage, PC Andy Forbes can be seen struggling to remove his jacket after the flare became lodged in his police jacket.   He suffered burns and was taken to hospital but says he is 'eternally grateful' not to receive lasting injuries after describing how he 'went off like a crackerjack' New footage shows the moment one officer was set alight by a flare thrown which became stuck in his clothing as his colleagues attempt to put out the flames More than 40 people were arrested, and 700 hours of body-worn camera footage has been reviewed as part of the investigation An experienced officer with 18 years of public order policing, PC Andy Forbes said it was one of the most violent situations he has policed 'Within a minute or so of that, a flare came in and landed on me,' he said. 'At that stage, I was aware of a bright pink intense light around my upper chest. The noise was like a high-octane burning sound; it was getting brighter and pinker. 'I'd got my shield in one hand and I was patting my chest thinking I've got to do something about this. 'I was actually quite calm. I was just thinking there's something wrong here, you've got to do something about it, what are you going to do? 'I remember it as a Roman candle effect and these little orange flickers coming off it. I was going off like a crackerjack. 'It was getting brighter and more intense. I was joined by six colleagues from the West Midlands Police who were patting me to try to put out the flames. 'I was thrown to the floor and I fought to put the flames out. It was the old stop, drop and roll. 'I was on my front and I was saying to my colleagues 'is it out, get it out'. 'The whole incident probably lasted 15 to 20 seconds and then I was aware that I had this smell, like when you chuck a bucket of water on a fire and it's gone out. ' An experienced officer with 18 years of public order policing, PC Forbes said it was one of the most violent situations he has policed. 'It was like a scene out of a film, certainly like nothing I’d seen before,' he said. Legia Warsaw fans were also captured on camera hurling debris at the officers who rallied to hold the violent fans back. One officer was knocked out when he was hit with missiles, while another suffered an injury to his mouth. Two police dogs suffered injuries to their paws, while a police horse was left with cuts after a bottle was thrown at it. Football hooligans attack police officers outside Villa Park during their clash with Legia Warsaw in November 2023 All of the Polish fans were refused entry into the stadium following the disgraceful scenes  A police horse rears up during the trouble outside Villa Park   At Birmingham Crown Court last week, eight men were due to stand trial for their involvement in the night's events. But seven have now pleaded guilty to violent disorder, while an eighth admitted affray. They are due to be sentenced in December. The seven who admitted violent disorder were: Jaroslaw Gredka, 50, of Leicester, Gregorsz Grabon, 52, of Bridgwater, Somerset, Adrian Mitura, 35, of Warsaw, Karol Talkowski, 35, Marchin Staniec, 32, of Poland, Bartlomiej Szmytke, 23, of Poland and Doran Urbaniak, 42, of Leicester. Mariusz Palka, 42, of Bristol, admitted affray. Three other men have previously been convicted for offences including assaulting a police officer, possession of a knife, and possession of cocaine.  Detective Inspector Tom Lyons, of West Midlands Police, said: 'This was horrific violence from the so-called fans of Legia Warsaw, who threw missiles at officers, attacked them and hurled abuse at them. 'We had 300 officers, including dog handlers and mounted officers, from a range of forces across the country who were there to keep the peace and ensure fans could enjoy a memorable night of European football. 'Sadly it descended into some of the worst violence UK football has seen in decades. 'But despite this, the officers on the night displayed bravery and skillful teamwork to deliver a safe operation and protect the public. 'They showed real courage throughout. Our investigation has continued since then, painstakingly gathering the evidence to put people before the courts, and that work continues today.' Top row from left: Karol Talkowski, Marchin Staniec, Gregorsz Grabon and Jaroslaw Gredka. Bottom row from left: Adrian Mitura, Mariusz Palka, Doran Urbaniak and Bartlomiej Szmytke There were no away fans inside Villa Park when the game got underway at 8pm As a result of the violence, the away fans were refused entry into the stadium on the night, with some managing to launch containers of beer into the home end from outside. A small group were able to break in and could be heard cheering from behind a wall when Legia scored a goal. The fans forced their way in after West Midlands Police posted on social media that they were not letting any Legia fans inside the stadium. Mail Sport reported at the time that Legia were unhappy with their reduced allocation after Villa reduced their ticket allocation to just 890 based on advice from the police and Safety Advisory Group. UEFA rules allow the visiting team five per cent of the stadium’s capacity, which would equal 2,100 tickets at Villa Park. Following the disorder, Legia Warsaw fans were banned from attending their club’s next five European away games, fined £100,000 (£86,000) and ordered to pay for the damage done to Villa Park.  West Mercia Police Federation chair Barry Horton said: 'The violence that officers faced that night was unacceptable. 'At the end of the day, they're men and women, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, and they shouldn't have to face violence or the threat of violence just for doing their jobs. 'As a Federation, we've offered our support to members who were policing that night and continue to do so.'