Police broke up a brawl at Rome's famous Trevi fountain after two women failed to agree on who could take a selfie there first.

Both families got involved after a Dutch tourist, 19, argued with an Italian-American woman, 44, in an altercation that turned violent on Wednesday night.

The women exchanged slaps and punches before relatives reacted to create an eight-person melee.

Two women in Rome exchanged punches and slaps after fighting over who could take a selfie in the same prime spot at the Trevi fountain at the same time

The argument started as words but soon turned violent with family members getting involved. Four police officers were needed to break up the scrap

The incident began as an exchange of words between the two women before escalating into a punch-up.

Reports in Italy said the quarrel started when both women wanted to take selfies at the same prime spot in front of the Trevi at the same time.

Officers intervened to stop the fight but a truce only lasted a couple of minutes.

Two more patrol cops were called in to finally bring an end to the fight which took place before shocked onlookers.

Neither women were charged. Both sustained bruises.

The Trevi Fountain was designed by architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762. It attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Thousands of holidaymakers visit the hugely popular Trevi fountain, giving councillors a headache with overcrowding problems

The site was made famous by films such as Three Coins in the Fountain, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita.

Last year, in measures to preserve the fountain's cleanliness, officials announced tourists could be fined €240 (£215) for eating or drinking near the Trevi.

Washing in it or sitting on it is also forbidden.

Councillors are also mulling over an idea to create a route to bypass the fountain as means to address issues of overcrowding.

Tourists swarm the site night and day for a chance to take a selfie or dip their feet in the water, especially in summer months.

But lawmakers want to introduce a one-way system where visitors can see the Baroque monument without stopping to linger.

The populist Five Star Movement party described the situation as 'unlivable'.

A similar proposal was trialed last July but dropped a couple of months later.