Terrified football players locked themselves in their dressing room after being threatened by a man with a "combat-style" knife.

They dialled 999 while the angry man bashed on the door of the changing room.

And the drama prompted the referee to abandon the match at Cliffe Lane, Baildon, before a ball had even been kicked.

Saturday's match between Baildon Trinity Athletic and Lower Hopton, in the fourth round of the West Riding County FA Challenge Cup, was due to start at 1.30pm. But while players were warming up, a man ran onto the pitch and threatened one of the Baildon side with a knife, it was claimed.

Police later confirmed the weapon was a "combat-style knife with a six-and-a-half-inch polished blade".

The players took refuge in the changing rooms and called police.

Philip Rhodes, results secretary for the West Riding County Amateur Football League, said: "The man ran onto the field wielding this big knife. He chased a couple of the players around. The referee stopped the game and got everybody away. Then the man got a big piece of two-by-two and was braying on the dressing room doors.

"The referee will be making a report to the County FA and they will have to decide when there can be a replay.

"I can well imagine the players were frightened to death. No-one was hurt, but they were mentally hurt."

Police confirmed they received a call at 1.15pm.

Inspector Mark Leighton, of Keighley police, said: "A number of police attended after nine minutes.

"The man had made off down a footpath known locally as The Dell and officers went there and saw the person, who ran off. They made an arrest later that afternoon."

He added: "As far as I know nobody was injured at the incident, although the football match was abandoned."

The arrested man was a local white man, aged 24.

Insp Leighton said the man was taken to Keighley police station where he was assessed under the Mental Health Act and placed in the care of appropriate health authorities.

As a result he would not face any criminal charges, Insp Leighton said.