Cage-fighting has been banned from Colne Municipal Hall after a mass brawl broke out – in the crowd.

Around 15 spectators were involved in the fracas and two men were arrested.

YouTube clip of the event

Police were called to the event at the Muni, in Albert Road, and found a large group of men fighting on the stage close to the ring.

Security staff and police were forced to intervene to stop the trouble and several people were ejected from the hall.

Now bosses at the venue have said they won’t be hiring it out for any cage fighting events in the future.

Alison Goode, executive development manager for Pendle Leisure Trust, said: “It was a private hire event but the door staff were Pendle Leisure Trust’s own, which we insisted on.

“Our security staff did a brilliant job and the police were on the scene within seconds.

“We have decided we won’t be hiring it out for cage fighting events again, it is not the reputation we want the theatre to portray.

“We never have trouble at the Muni, we’re a family theatre and we don’t see any problems during the year.

“Several times a year we hire the venue out for boxing nights and they always go peacefully, so we will continue to allow it to be used for boxing.”

A video showing the brawl has been posted on the YouTube website and had been viewed over 600 times yesterday.

It shows men jumping off chairs to aim punches at each other and chairs being hurled at the group involved in the disturbance.

Police said they were called to the venue at around 8.10pm on July 3.

A spokesman said: “We were called to reports of a large group fighting inside the Muni at a cage fighting event.

“On arrival, which was within minutes of the report as it was graded as an emergency call, the disorder had calmed down and a number of people were ejected from the venue.

“Two people were arrested in connection with the incident.”

Organisers from the event were unavailable for comment yesterday.

l A 32-year-old man from Colne was given a penalty notice for disorder and a man aged 28 from Nelson was given an adult caution for using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.