A capital on lockdown as 16,000 police flood streets

RIOTING and looting spread to Manchester and the midlands from London last night, with plans to prevent a fourth night of violence on the streets of the capital appearing to have worked.

British prime minister David Cameron flew back from his holiday early to join police chiefs in warning rioters they would face the full weight of the law.

He chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency COBRA committee yesterday, with another due to take place this morning.