TELLING a football official they need glasses is one of many well-known clichés in the game.

But six-foot mascot Bertie Bee was left regretting his cheeky actions in Burnley’s top of the table Championship clash with Queens Park Rangers on Saturday as he finished up behind bars.

The long-serving mascot caused a buzz around Turf Moor when he was sent off by referee Andy Haines midway through the first half after he offered assistant referee Jonathan Hunt a pair of spectacles following a contentious offside decision.

The incident caught the attention of social media websites and late on Saturday a picture was posted on the official Burnley FC Twitter feed of Bertie banged up inside a cell at Turf Moor – and he also received the support of opticians Specsavers.

A spokesman for the firm said: “Our support goes out to Bertie Bee. We sponsor officials in many sports and maybe Bertie believed that the assistant referee really needed our services and was just trying to help.”

It is not the first time Bertie Bee has made the headlines.

During a match with local rivals Preston North End, the mascot rugby tackled a rogue streaker before celebrating with an impromptu dance.