The police officer attacked by Rangers fans after the team's defeat in the Uefa Cup Final in Manchester said today the violence was unbelievable and frightening.

Pc Mick Regan said there was a hardcore minority of "a few thousand" troublemakers among the 100,000 fans who watched Rangers' 2-0 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester on Wednesday.

Rangers believe many of the trouble-makers were not genuine fans but thugs who went to Manchester purely to cause trouble.

Violence broke out when a big screen due to broadcast the game to 20,000 fans in Piccadilly Gardens in the city centre failed before kick-off.

Pc Regan said: "From the outset we were bombarded with bottles and cans as we tried to contain and disperse the crowd.

"It was unbelievable when we got there, it was already in motion. It was frightening, on a different scale from any other match I have worked in my 23-year career.

"It seemed the vast majority were drunk and they just wanted to cause trouble.

"A lot of the fans were OK and just asking for directions but there was a large hard core."

CCTV images show Pc Regan and six other officers retreating down a city centre street at about 10.15pm as fans hurled cans, bottles and rubbish at them.

Pc Regan confronted the pack and is punched before one of the mob trips him up and he falls to the ground.

A gang of about 20 fans kick and stamp on the 47-year-old before he escapes.

He said: "We made a tactical withdraw and they overran us. The crowd was extremely hostile and made up of men and women of all ages.

"The whole time we were there, officers were getting hit with bottles.

"As we were forced back down Newton Street, I saw another of my colleagues being attacked by six or seven fans and I went to help him.

"Then a lad with a bottle threw it at me from a distance of about three or four feet and it hit me on the left elbow.

"I remember moving backwards to try and avoid being hit again but next thing I was on the floor.

"I could feel the crowd kicking me in the side but my body armour was protecting me. I could see their feet in front of me even though my head was on the floor.

"I wanted to curl up but I remember saying to myself 'I have got to get up'."

Pc Regan was helped by two Rangers fan when he escaped. He said: "One of them shouted at me saying 'I'm British Army, I'm a medic'. He grabbed me by the collar and he propelled me up the street.

"Then one of our vans came round the corner, he threw me in the back of it and off he went. Thank God.

"I feel lucky. Whoever that army lad was, he wants a medal."

Pc Regan suffered bruising to both arms, sore ribs and a puncture wound to the elbow.

He said: "Never in my career have I been in a situation like that. It was unbelievable.

"The fans who were coming away from the stadium were as good as gold but the people who were kicking off were drunk and out for trouble.

"I know they will say it's a minority but a few thousand is a big minority."

Fifteen officers were injured and a police dog injured a paw.

One Russian fan was stabbed inside the City of Manchester Stadium.

Eleven Rangers fans, all men, were charged with various offences - seven for public order, one with assault, one with being drunk in a sports ground and one for throwing a missile.

A further 11 Rangers supporters were bailed pending further inquiries and 12 were given cautions.

Seven men, including one Zenit fan, were released without charge.

Manchester City Council is to hold an inquiry into its handling of the day. The council relaxed its street drinking ban on the day of the game and fans were seen drinking on the streets from 7am.

Council leader Sir Richard Leese said banning alcohol would have created a "public order problem".