BROMSGROVE pop star Ritchie Neville was due to appear in court today after a brawl in a Dublin bar.

The former Bromsgrove School pupil, whose mother runs the town's Crabmill Inn, was arrested last night with fellow band member J Brown.

Neville, aged 21, and Brown, 24, are touring with pop group 5ive and two concert dates in the Irish capital are said to be going ahead.

The pair were held after a fight in the Palace Bar in Fleet Street, where, is was understood, trouble broke out after the pop stars were insulted and shoved by other men.

"Neville will be charged with public disorder and disturbance of the peace," said Neil Reading, the group's publicist. "Brown will be charged with assault and public disorder.

"Ritchie and J were drinking with members of their touring party when the incident happened."

The pair were due to appear in Dublin's Bridewell Court at 10.30am.

Irish police said one man was injured and two others arrested in the incident.

The victim was believed to have been treated at St James' Hospital in the city for facial injuries, which required stitches.

A barman at the Palace Bar said that the fight could have been about the band's rivals, Westlife, who hail from the Republic of Ireland.

"There were four lads at the end of the bar," said Willie Ahern. "They'd been in all day and had a sandwich and a pint or two.

"Then the members of the band came in. They had a couple of girls with them. They were all having a good time and then some sort of fight developed. There was an argument and the band Westlife was mentioned. Two lads in the band got really wound up. The Garda were called and an ambulance arrived."

5ive's hits include Keep On Movin' and the Queen cover We Will Rock You. Earlier this week they played two sell-out concerts at Birmingham's NEC.