Hugo Almeida and Boubacar Sanogo each bagged a brace for Bremen, with Peter Niemeyer, Per Mertesacker, Markus Rosenberg and Diego also on the scoresheet.

Artur Wichniarek notched the solitary goal for Bielefeld, who slip to 11th following the thrashing.

The first goal arrived for the home team after 17 minutes. Dusko Tosic volleyed the ball across the pitch and Niemeyer got to it ahead of Bielefeld's Bernd Korzynietz before firing into the right-hand side of Mathias Hain's net.

The lead was doubled after 35 minutes when Sanogo rode the tackle of Bielefeld's Matthias Langkamp and then volleyed to Almeida, who nodded home.

The visitors pulled one back a minute later when Wichniarek latched onto Rudiger Kauf's pass and slotted past Bremen keeper Tim Wiese from 18 yards.

However, Bremen's two-goal cushion was restored - and in fact stretched - before half-time thanks to Sanogo's double.

First he headed in from seven yards from Diego's volleyed pass and then nodded past the advancing Hain from Diego's corner.

Already 4-1 up and with the game safely won by the interval, Bremen could have been forgiven for easing up in the second half.

But they continued in the same vein and managed four more unanswered goals after the break.

Diego was again the provider just before the hour mark for Mertesacker, who squeezed his header past Hain from close range.

Midway through the second half, substitute Max Kruse's pass found Rosenberg, who again had the beating of a shell-shocked Hain.

Two goals in the last five minutes put the icing on the cake for Bremen, firstly Diego firing in an amazing 20-yard free-kick and then Rosenberg teeing up Almeida for a simple tap-in.