Stay-away Noel has missed the stage assaults

Oasis' management condemned the behaviour of the "dangerous hooligans" who caused the incident at the Sudoeste Festival in Odemira on Sunday.

It followed a similar situation at the Paleo event in Nyon, Switzerland at the end of July, when plastic bottles and other missiles were thrown.

A spokesman for the band's management company, Ignition, blamed the latest problems on a small group of troublemakers in the sell-out 35,000 crowd.

He said: "This kind of behaviour is utterly deplorable.

Thuggish

"Had the rock hit Alan in the face he could have been seriously hurt. It is regrettable that once again a small group of idiots have ruined a great night for the majority of fans."

"Unfortunately, it seems that this thuggish activity has been in a way encouraged by press reports in the past that have criticised the band for leaving the stage instead of condemning the behaviour of these dangerous hooligans.

"There can be no question that any musician, who is after all on stage to entertain people, should be subject to this kind of physical attack.

"Do we have to wait until a musician is seriously hurt on stage before these attacks are condemned?"

Oasis are touring Europe without guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher, who refused to play outside the UK again following a bust-up with brother Liam.

He will return for festival appearances in Reading, Leeds and Glasgow.