A group of dedicated Manchester United fans claim were mistaken for Islamic State terrorists when they climbed a crane over Old Trafford dressed in black.
Father-of-two Mark Andrew and two of his friends scaled a crane in Salford Quays last Saturday to watch United’s 4-1 league win over Newcastle.
Yet Mr Andrews and his friends were soon embroiled in a 45 minute stand-off with police, firefighters and medics.
The 23-year-old photographer said he believes emergency services were called because the football fans were taking pictures of Old Trafford from their vantage point.
Footage has emerged of the three fans climbing the structure without any safety gear before emergency services rush to the scene and form a cordon.
Dad-of-two Mark Andrew and two pals scaled a crane in Salford Quays last Saturday so they could have a unique perspective on over the Red Devilsí 4-1 victory over Newcastle – but were shocked to hear sirens blaring across the city before they were circled by emergency services
The lads thought the incident was ‘hilarious’ after their bags were searched told to move on by authorities.
Mr Andrews, from Manchester, said: ‘I’m a big Manchester United fan. We climbed to the top of the crane to watch the Red Devils in action.
‘It was an innocent escapade just to get a better view as footie fans. We never realised we’d be mistaken for terrorists.
‘The police said to us “get down, you’re surrounded” and they were just shouting stuff to us from the ground and shining their torches up at us. But I just found it hilarious.
‘I think it was because we were dressed in black. We might have been mistaken for Islamic State fighters.
‘Plus, we were taking pictures of the Old Trafford. If we actually were terrorists I can understand why the police would have wanted to talk to us.
‘We looked suspicious and we were taking photos.’
He added: ‘ We just found it hilarious and told the police we were only up there taking pictures.
‘We had no trouble beforehand. I think we were spotted by three ladies in a block of flats. Then we just heard three sets of sirens coming from different directions.’
Mr Andrew said him and his friends were hoping to ‘wait it out’ on top of the crane but eventually gave up.
He said: ‘There were first responder ambulances, fire crews and what looked like anti-terror police with vests.
‘The police shone a light up to us and told us to get down. I knew we were in trouble but I just decided to take it on the chin.
‘People were posting stuff to Twitter and I think people thought we actually were terrorists.’
The three men climbed the crane in order to get a better view of Old Trafford so they could watch last weekend’s Premier League clash with newly promoted Newcastle United
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘At 4:34pm on Saturday, November 18, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service responded to reports that members of the public had climbed a crane in the Salford Quays area.
‘Two pumps from Salford and Stretford, alongside the Technical Response Unit from Ashton-Under-Lyne, attended the incident in Trafford Road, Salford.
‘Three males returned to the ground after roughly 45 minutes. Firefighters were in attendance for approximately one hour and 10 minutes.’
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police, who stated that no anti-terror squads attended, said: ‘Shortly before 4.30pm on Saturday 18 November 2017, police were called to Trafford Road to reports that a small group of people had climbed a crane.
‘A number of police community support, neighbourhood and response officers attended along with colleagues from other emergency services and, at around 5pm, the people safely came down from the crane.
‘No crimes were committed.’
Emergency services surrounded the trio when they were on the crane and a stand-off ensued