Met apology over soccer riot mix-up

Earlier this week police issued 66 pictures of people supposedly caught on camera during violent clashes at the game between West Ham and Millwall.

But it has emerged that the images mistakenly included stills of six of the actors from recent hooligan-themed movie The Firm. The Metropolitan Police said: "We wish to apologise unreservedly to those affected."

Police used a Sky TV report to capture images of fans fighting at the Carling Cup clash in August.

But it appears that because the officers turned off the sound from the report, they failed to realise it included footage from the movie.

Among the actors whose faces were issued to the media on Wednesday was Paul Anderson, who plays Bex in the film.

The error was described by Yard insiders as a "bad day at the office" for those responsible.

A 43-year-old Millwall supporter was stabbed during the violence in and around West Ham's Upton Park ground on August 25. Police have arrested more than 40 people so far.

The Firm, which was released last month, is set in the football hooligans' 1980s heyday and is about a young man who joins a "firm" of thugs.

Vertigo Films, which made the movie, told The Sun: "We are delighted our scenes are so realistic that people can't tell the difference between them and real events."