Tom Bardsley said he feared that Pc Mick Regan was "not going to make it" away from a "pack of wolves who had not been fed for days".

The officer had just got to his feet after being attacked by a 20-strong gang in Manchester city centre when another hooligan came running towards him hell bent on booting him to the floor again.

Mr Bardsley, 23, pushed the fan away and then dragged Pc Regan along the street and around the corner where he threw him into a police van.

The violent scenes marred Wednesday night's Uefa Cup final between the Glasgow team and Zenit St Petersburg.

CCTV footage of the dramatic scenes which showed PC Regan being set upon was released earlier this by Greater Manchester Police.

The trainee manager at Dominos Pizzas in Fallowfield, had just left an internet cafe in Newton Street when 200 supporters rushed towards seven riot officers.

One of the officers, PC Regan, confronted them but was left at the mercy of the crowd when he was tripped to the ground.

Mr Bardsley, who served in the 26 Engineer Regiment at Bulworth Garrison, moved into action when he saw a man charge towards the officer who had just got off the ground.

Mr Bardsley said he had served in a number of war zones and had been given full riot training, but he had witnessed nothing like the scenes that greeted him.