French President Jacques Chirac called a security meeting of his top ministers tonight after urban rioting spread – with arsonists striking from the Mediterranean to the German border and into central Paris for the first time.

Riots which have rocked France for the past 10 days reached central Paris for the first time today in an orgy of destruction and violence.

French anti-terrorist police have taken five people into custody in connection with the investigation into suspected shoe bomber Richard Reid.

Frankie Dettori believes he has only an outside chance of regaining the jockey's championship he won in 1994 and 1995.