EVERTON FC star Victor Anichebe has lashed out at the police he claims grabbed his crutch and accused him of attempted theft.

The injured Nigerian international was pounced on by police close to his Cheshire home in Knutsford.

Police had been alerted by CCTV operatives that two men were acting suspiciously outside PR Jones' jeweller's.

Eye-witnesses claim they were shocked at what they felt was a heavyhanded reaction, but police claim their response came after a spate of violent jewellery raids in the area.

But a statement released by the 20-year-old Everton striker this evening said: " While I do fully understand Cheshire Police’s desire to tackle the problem of robberies on jewellery shops in the Knutsford area, I remain deeply upset and very angry about the treatment which was meted out to myself and a friend yesterday.

"Both myself and my friend, Lee, were accused, by Cheshire Police officers, of attempted theft. Sadly, even when I explained who I was and what I was doing, they continued to treat both of us as not just suspects, but as criminals.

"It was not only totally ridiculous but also highly embarrassing and totally humiliating.

"Simply because we stood our ground and insisted that we had done absolutely nothing wrong, they decided to place my friend in handcuffs. I am currently having to use crutches to walk as I recently underwent surgery on a knee injury and – astonishingly – one of the officers even tried to grab the crutches in order to prevent me from ‘escaping’.