Premier League: Police "very worried" by increase of fireworks in stadiums

The English police are "very worried" by the increase of smoke flares and fireworks during Premier League matches, following the match between Aston Villa and Tottenham (0-2), at Villa Park on the 20/10/2013. The assistant match referee, David Bryan, was hit by a smoke flare that was thrown from the stands.

"Last year (2012/2013), we saw an increase in the use of flares and pyrotechnic devices by nearly 140% compared to the previous season...Arrests for the possession of a firework or a flare were up more than 150%", said Andy Holt, head of football policing for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), on BBC Radio 5 Live on the 22/10/2013.

"It is prevalent abroad and I would argue they have a greater problem than we do in this country. But I'm anxious that we don't head the same way and it does not become embedded in the culture of English football. It is no way appropriate to let off either smoke flares or fireworks inside a stadium," he added.

The FA (Football Association) announced the opening of an investigation after the incident at Villa Park (Birmingham).

• During the…