BBC apologises after football reporter makes jibe about Spanish air crash during match commentary

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Reporter Chris Price was speaking live on air when he said Rochdale 'were making more holes in the Bradford defence than in a Spanish aircraft'.

He was speaking on Saturday just three days after a Spanair plane crashed at Barajas International airport in Madrid killing at least 153 people.

Tragedy: The Madrid crash in which at least 153 were killed last week

Outraged listeners complained to BBC Radio Manchester, which has now been forced to issue an apology.

Freelance journalist Price, 25, from Rochdale, said he had been trying to add some colour to his report during the live update on the League Two match.

But he admitted he had made a 'horrible mistake'.

One former BBC commentator described him as 'unprofessional and stupid'.

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: 'This was an inappropriate remark and we would like to apologise to our listeners for any offence caused.'

Price, who has covered football and rugby for the BBC for a year, claimed he only had a split second to put the report together.

'I honestly thought I was being descriptive,' he said. 'It wasn't meant to be funny; it was just a descriptive phrase.

'If people are offended by what I said, then of course I apologise but I never intended to offend anyone.'

He added: 'From the reaction there has been, if I could take it back then I would.'

Mike Brookes, media officer for Rochdale Football Club, said: 'I did that job for the BBC for the best part of 15 years and you have to try and be a bit quirky.

'But there is being different and then there is crass stupidity. It was unprofessional and stupid.'