The 20-year-old Nigerian and a friend were accosted by officers while looking in a jeweller's shop window yesterday.

The Everton striker's friend was handcuffed when things turned ugly.

Anichebe asked if his being stopped by police was a "race issue" in a statement he released on his club's website tonight.

He claimed he and his friend were accused of attempted theft and treated as criminals despite the fact that he explained who he was.

CCTV operators reported the men to police as acting suspiciously in smart King Street, Knutsford, Cheshire, where there has been a spate of robberies.

Anichebe said: "Whilst I do fully understand Cheshire Police's desire to tackle the problem of robberies on jewellery shops in the Knutsford area, I remain deeply upset and very angry about the treatment which was meted out to myself and a friend.

"We were doing no more than window-shopping when we found ourselves surrounded by police officers who accused us of attempting to steal watches.

"Sadly, even when I explained who I was and what I was doing, they continued to treat both of us as not just suspects but as criminals."

The footballer added: "It was not only totally ridiculous but also highly embarrassing and totally humiliating.

"Simply because we stood our ground and insisted that we had done absolutely nothing wrong, they decided to place my friend in handcuffs.

"I am currently having to use crutches to walk as I recently underwent surgery on a knee injury and - astonishingly - one of the officers even tried to grab the crutches in order to prevent me from 'escaping'.

"After what seemed like an eternity the police officers seemed to realise that they had made a mistake, acknowledging that I was a footballer with a Premiership club and not someone who was preparing to commit a crime.

"At the time, I asked the officers if they would have taken the action they did had I been white rather than black.

"Whilst I do not wish to turn this unfortunate and unnecessary incident into a race issue, I believe it is a question which does need to be asked.

"I am pro-police - always have been and always will be. However, on this occasion they clearly got things badly wrong."

Cheshire Police said that handcuffing the player's friend "was less than a proportionate reaction".

The force has apologised to the two men.

Anichebe said he welcomed the force's apology but said it did not go far enough.

He said: "We do not feel it constitutes the unreserved apology we were seeking and which we believe is justified under the circumstances."