Arrests as riots and arson spread across England

Ugly scenes of violence, rioting and looting have spread across England since erupting three days ago.

As well as scenes of trouble across several London boroughs, “copycat” looting and rioting was experienced as far afield as Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol and Nottingham.

Merseyside Police said there were “a number of isolated outbreaks of disorder”, including burning cars and criminal damage, in the south Liverpool area.

West Midlands Police said around 100 arrests were made after rioters rampaged across Birmingham city centre and some surrounding areas.

Hundreds of youths gathered in the city’s main retail area close to the Bullring shopping mall, which closed its doors early in anticipation of violence, while there were reports that a police station in Handsworth was set on fire.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said staff were called to 34 incidents in Birmingham last night with crews tending to 28 patients, of whom 13 went to hospitals across the city.

More than 150 young rioters also caused disruption in the areas of St Paul’s and Stokes Croft in Bristol, with police urging the public to stay away from the city centre.

And in Leeds, there were “small pockets of disorder” in the Chapeltown area after a 34-year-old local man was seriously injured in a shooting, according to West Yorkshire Police.

In Reading, Berkshire, a small group of youths with their faces covered were tackled by Thames Valley Police who also dealt with an arson attack on a McDonald’s restaurant in Headington, Oxford.

Kent Police said a total of 10 men had been arrested in Medway following incidents of vandalism in Chatham, Rainham and Gillingham.

A group of around 15 young men, who are believed to have travelled to the area by train, caused damage by setting several fires across the Medway towns.

Across London, some of the worst affected areas were Croydon, Peckham, Ealing and Clapham.

In Hackney, between 250 and 300 people gathered on the Pembury Estate, torching cars and hurling petrol bombs at riot police.

Scores of local businesses in Mare Street were broken into and looted during the afternoon by the troublemakers – many wearing hoods and masks.

Three officers were injured, but not seriously, as missiles were hurled at police lines.

In Peckham, 500 youths gathered in Peckham High Street, vandalising shops, lighting fires and targeting officers with missiles.

Teams of riot police were seen charging at fleeing rioters after a major fire was started at a shop adjoining a Greggs bakery.

A Tesco Metro in East Dulwich Road near Peckham was gutted by a hooded gang last night.

Croydon, in south London, also witnessed ugly scenes, with a string of cars and buildings set alight by gangs of youths.

A man was injured in a shooting, while Reeves, a family furniture business that has stood in the area for more than 100 years, was gutted in a massive blaze.