An Argentine, owner of a restaurant in Canarias Islands, was brutally attacked by a group of six Marines from the Welsh guards who tried to steal a bottle of wine.

Several families were quietly dining at La Vaca Loca Argentinian restaurant when two of the soldiers came in asking directions to a night club.

As they went to leave, they tried to take a bottle of wine and when the owner came out from behind the bar to prevent them from doing so, they allegedly began to attack him

Witnesses told how families with children cowered under tables as chairs and bottles flew over their heads. Several people were treated in hospital after being punched as they went to the aid of the restaurant owner.

One man said: “I’ve never seen such violence. Four of five of them at a time were hitting people as hard as they could.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the six soldiers were due to appear in court in connection with the incident.

The spokesman confirmed local media speculation this afternoon that the soldiers were part of an official ‘adventure training exercise’ in the Canaries and not on holiday as initially believed. It is believed at least one senior officer is accompanying the party.

The soldiers’ alleged victims have written an open letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown demanding he takes action against them.

The police arrived very quickly, there were five or six police cars and two police vans.

‘The soldiers ran off and hid in the door to the brothel where the police caught up with them.

‘The police told me later the soldiers were insulting them all the way back to the police station.

‘Violence is always intolerable, but it’s even more so from military people.

‘They are here to protect us, not to attack us.

‘There is no anti-British feeling here, but these men must be brought to justice.’

They resisted arrest and two of our officers were injured, although only slightly.

Momento 24.