BOLTON Wanderers chiefs are adamant a dangerous lights failure at Manchester United's ground could not happen at the Reebok. Bosses say the £35 million Super Whites stadium in Horwich has two hi-tech back up systems which mean fans should never be left in the dark. Supporters at Sunday's Premiership clash between Man Utd and West Ham at Old Trafford were said to have been involved in a crush as they left the ground in darkness after electrical circuit problems.

Thousands of fans left the ground via enclosed fire stairs after emergency lighting had failed.

Extra medical staff were drafted in including doctors and nurses as well as extra police.

Supporters reported that people were screaming, and getting squashed as they negotiated two flights of steps.

The North Stand had been plunged into darkness, forcing kick-off to be delayed by 45 minutes.

Those who tried to leave early said they were initially turned back while stewards searched for torches to escort them out of the ground.

Some did not leave until three and a half hours after the designated kick-off.

Concern

But Alan Fullelove, Wanderers' press spokesman, vowed that Bolton fans would never be left floundering in a black out.

He said: "We at the Reebok have two generators, each one capable of running the stadium on its own. It's highly unlikely we would find ourselves in a situation were there is total blackness.

"This new stadium has been built with safety as a paramount concern.

"It has been built to all the recommendations of the Taylor report and to UEFA and FIFA recommendations. It meets everybody's standards."

A spokesman for Man Utd said an investigation had been launched.

Power had been restored to all parts of the ground except for the North Stand before kick-off, where the fault originated. The stand then had limited power from a stand-by generator.

A statement released by the club said: "The stair towers were closed by safety personnel and spectators on the second and third tiers were directed to the two emergency staircases which had full electrical power. No accidents or incidents were reported relating to the evacuation."

Man Utd denied there was any threat of a full-scale disaster but officials met Norweb engineers to discuss what went wrong.

United will also be examining the way the emergency was handled, and their findings could then be looked at by other stadium chiefs including those at the Reebok.

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