Woman ‘knocked out’ during brawl on tram

SicKening VideO shOWs Passenger sluMP tO the flOOr after blOW tO face

THIS was the appalling moment a woman was punched during a fight on the Metrolink tram.

The incident is believed to have happened near St Werburgh’s Road on the East Didsbury-Rochdale line late on Saturday night.

The tram was packed with lots of events going on in the city centre, including the first weekend of the Christmas markets and boxer Tony Bellew’s fight at the Arena.

A video posted on Facebook shows a group of men squaring up to each other before a man launches a headbutt while others throw punches. In the melee, a woman tries to separate those fighting and receives a sickening blow to the face before falling to the floor. She does not get back to her feet during the 34-second clip. According to witness reports made on social media, the brawl began because of “Scouse” insults hurled towards a group of Liverpudlians. Audio from the video would appear to support that. There were also suggestions the woman was knocked unconscious, though the M.E.N. has not been able to confirm this. Witness

It is understood the incident has been reported to police.

In the video, the tram driver can be heard telling those fighting that “this is all on CCTV and the police have been called.”

One witness, who asked not be named, told the M.E.N. the video doesn’t capture the extent of the violence.

He said: “It ended up in a huge brawl on the platform shortly after this.

“I called police when the tram was moving.

“Most of them stayed on until Didsbury Village. No police there.

“It was just really sad to see loads of people looking terrified on the tram.”

A spokesperson for Transport for Greater Manchester confirmed the authority is aware of the incident but said it was a matter for police to comment further.

Greater Manchester Police has been asked for comment.