Two girls in bikinis at Idols bar in Sunderland held up the black and white shirt of deadly rivals Newcastle United while it burned to a cinder.

That might have been the end of the incident, but one of the customers filmed it on his mobile phone and uploaded it to video-sharing website You Tube.

It came to the attention of the Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade, which said there could have been "disastrous consequences" and is now considering taking legal action.

Bar owners JI Entertainment have apologised profusely.

Spokesman Chris Oldham told The Publican:

"We fully accept that this was a distasteful, dangerous, and wholly unnecessary part of a venue that has come to be known as a place for fun and frivolity but not stupidity."