Rangers riot hero says: I had to save policeman

By Holly Breslin, sundaymirror.co.uk 18/05/2008

Tom Bardsley with mum Karen (Pic:PA)

A hero ex-soldier told yesterday how he saved stricken policeman Mick Regan from being kicked to death in the Manchester football riot.

Dramatic CCTV footage showed father-of-two Mick, 47, being set upon by Rangers soccer thugs - who was rescued by a mystery fan who dragged him to safety.

Yesterday, modest Tom Bardsley stepped forward to reveal he was the hero - and said the yobs were like a "pack of wolves who had not been fed for days". And Tom, who wants to join the police himself, said he feared Mick would die unless he got help.

Tom, 23, said: "I knew that if no one was going to get him he wasn't going to make it. I thought 'sod it'. I didn't care that bottles and bricks were being thrown at me. Adrenaline just kicked in."

Even as Tom stepped in, the drunken yobs were trying to grab Mick back. But dad-of-one Tom pushed them away and dragged the PC along the street and threw him into a police van.

The appalling scenes - which may jeopardise England's bid to stage the 2018 World Cup - came after Wednesday night's Uefa Cup Final victory by Zenit St Petersburg over Glasgow Rangers.

Tom, of Manchester, was caught up in the riot after finishing work at Domino's Pizza. He said he had served in war zones and had full riot training but had never witnessed scenes like these.

"I did not think of any danger to me just the safety of others and making sure everyone was getting out OK," he said.

"I told Mick I was a British Army medic to reassure him. When I pulled him away a bottle smashed off his helmet and hit me. I was covered in blood.

"The policeman's eyes were opening and closing as he tried to get visibility again. He was dazed and staggering. The fans were trying to pull me off him and I was struggling to break free. I had about five or six close encounters as the fans tried to pull me into the crowd."

Shortly after rescuing Mick, Tom helped save a Rangers fan who had fallen into a canal and carried an unconscious man to an ambulance.

Tom, who served in the 26 Engineer Regiment at Bulworth Garrison, was thanked by PC Regan's superintendent who told him he would certainly give him a job in the force.

Tom's proud mum Karen, 44, said: "I'm not surprised that Tom stopped to help.

"I think every family should have someone like Tom."

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