Whitehaven Rugby League Club has banned indefinitely three supporters following an incident at a recent game.

There was trouble after the Championship match with Featherstone on May 7 when rival fans were involved in a terrace flare-up.

Whitehaven chairman Tommy Todd said: “We were making our own investigations into the matter and realised that it had been quite serious.

“Then when Featherstone supplied photographic incident which identified the culprits we decided to act.

“They were three adults who should have known better and the Whitehaven board decided that they should be banned as a result.

“We have notified the Rugby Football League of our actions and await their comments.”

Whitehaven had lost the game 44-22 and the rival supporters were leaving when the altercation took place on the terraces.

It had been a game packed with controversy, including three Whitehaven tries being disallowed – two of them at a crucial stage of the game.

Violence is rare among supporters at rugby league matches. 

Three years ago Wigan banned five of their fans from attending matches following a disturbance at the end of the Warriors’ Super League loss at Huddersfield.