The first-ever Premier League derby between Albion and Wolves was marred by trouble both inside and outside the stadium.

Trams between Wolverhampton and Birmingham were suspended for an hour after severe overcrowding sparked  mayhem and led to hundreds of Wolves fans missing the first half of the match.

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Fans today told of rising panic and crushing fears on board two Midland Metro trams, which led to supporters overwhelming police and escaping from crowded carriages at Black Lake station in West Bromwich. The chaos included:

* Around 400 Wolves fans missing the first half as police herded supporters three miles up tram tracks to the stadium

* Ten fans arrested following clashes inside and around the ground

* A flare smuggled into the ground hidden in a teddy bear and thrown from the Wolves seating into West Brom fans

* A Wolves fan needing three stitches for a head wound after being pelted by a coin.

Wolves fan Mackenzie Smith, aged 18, of Sandbank, Bloxwich, who was in one of the trams, today described the chaos.

“Passengers were struggling to breathe,” said the apprentice bricklayer. “No-one could move at all because we were crammed in so tightly. The man in front of me was having an asthma attack, but no-one would help him and we couldn’t get him out.

“When people managed to get the doors open, everyone flooded off and started grappling with the police outside. It was chaos.”

Fans were making their way to The Hawthorns for yesterday’s midday kick-off on two trams which left Wolverhampton at 10.45 and 11am when the problems started. The doors of one tram jammed open at Black Lake, leading to it being evacuated by police. Officers then held back a second tram outside the stop for 10 minutes.

Police on board the delayed tram are then understood to have opened the doors via an emergency button as fans panicked in the crush. Supporters then grappled with officers before being herded by police along the line with the force helicopter above.

The 11-minute tram journey through the six stops between Black Lake and The Hawthorns took more than an-hour-and-a-half on foot. Wolves fans missed the whole of the first half arriving as the half-time whistle sounded at around 12.45pm.

Wolves supporter Dave Rhodes, aged 50 of Kingsclere Walk, Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, was left with blood pouring from his head after he was hit by a coin thrown from the top of the East Stand into away fans in the Smethwick End. He was given three stitches by first aiders.

Albion spokesman John Simpson said today the smoke bomb, thrown from the away end into the Millennium Corner, did not cause any injury.

National Express said all Midland Metro tram services were suspended for an hour ‘in the interests of public safety’.