Police to investigate Mario Balotelli after threatening his mum's neighbour for allegedly taking pictures of his £240,000 Ferrari

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is being investigated by police over claims he threatened his mother's neighbour for taking pictures of his £240,000 Ferrari. allegedly

Police were called to a housing estate in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester at 3pm yesterday, when the 24-year-old was reportedly visiting his mother Rose Barwuah.

The controversial Italian footballer parked his Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and a number of residents came out to take pictures before going back indoors.

Balotelli is then said to have come out to remonstrate with one neighbour.

The alleged victim told the Manchester Evening News that the former Manchester City striker stooped down to look through her front window before launching into a tirade as she came to the front door of the property.

The woman, who asked not to be named, was visiting her own mother at the time and said the footballer left her 'frightened and speechless' by the rant.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are investigating a report of threatening behaviour. Officers will be speaking to all concerned in due course.' 

The woman said: 'I hadn't even taken any pictures. He came and looked through the front window. He was wearing a black beanie hat and he gave me a bit of a fright.

'Then when I came to the door he was getting right near me and pointing in my face saying "you took pictures of my car" and I kept telling him "I didn't, I didn't".

'Then he said, "if you do anything with them, I'll come back, I'm warning you", which to me was a direct threat. 

'I don't care who he is, I won't be threatened like that by anyone. He's a big guy and it was very frightening.'

The woman's mother said: 'When he was at City he'd come round all the time and sit with us, so for him to be so nasty is a shock.

'We used to cook him eggs, bacon and tomato and now he treats us like this. It's not on.'

Other neighbours said that Balotellihad always been friendly towards them while visiting his mother.

Brian Robinson, 76, said: 'I've had my photograph taken with him and he's always been pretty good. He likes to have a laugh and a joke with us.

'I guess he could get peeved with people pestering him for autographs. But he's always been OK with me.'

Hayley Ashton, 28, saw the striker leaving his mother's house on Thursday. She said: 'I didn't see him arguing with anybody.' 

Pictures of the car on the road were taken by someone not involved in the incident. 

Liverpool Football Club said they would not be commenting until all the facts had been established.