Dwight Yorke is not a happy man

London: Police are launching an investigation into allegations that Birmingham City striker Dwight Yorke was racially abused by Blackburn Rovers fans at Ewood Park on Sunday.

Local police chief David Mallaby said after a meeting on Monday with Blackburn officials that he would appoint a detective inspector to handle the investigation, a Lancashire police spokesman said.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said after the game that Yorke, a former Rovers player, had suffered monkey chants similar to those faced by England players during last week?s 0-1 friendly defeat in Spain. Bruce said the striker had told him he had been abused by two home fans. Yorke left Blackburn for Birmingham in August after two difficult years at Blackburn.

?They racially abused him, Dwight is bitterly upset and angry,? Bruce told reporters. ?It was something similar to the racist taunts the English players had and we don?t want to see it.?

Blackburn issued a statement on Monday saying it would give its full co-operation with the inquiry and ?would like to stress that this was an isolated incident and that we deeply regret any embarrassment caused to Dwight Yorke and Birmingham City. Over the years, the club has worked tirelessly to eliminate racism... and we want to be quite clear that racism will not be tolerated at Ewood Park?.

A Birmingham statement on Monday said the club was ?disappointed and sickened by the racist abuse Dwight Yorke received...?

Yorke came on as a 74th-minute substitute in the 3-3 draw at Ewood Park.