MOB violence' rocks Manchester

Police say they've been faced with extraordinary levels of violence on the streets of Manchester from hundreds of criminals hell-bent on causing destruction.

Fire bombs were thrown at shops and windows were smashed as looters made off with designer clothes, expensive electrical items, jewellery, mobile phones and alcohol as the violence gripping many English communities spread to the northwest city.

Youths - many wearing masks and hooded tops - plundered Manchester city centre and nearby Salford shopping precinct from about 5pm local time on Tuesday (0200 AEST Wednesday).

Some of those running wild looked to be as young as nine or 10.

The chaos ensued for hours and calm was not largely restored in both locations until about 1am as a total of 47 arrests were made with officers from Northumbria, Staffordshire and North Wales assisting Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Sporadic looting broke out across the city centre with gangs playing cat and mouse with riot police, who took control street by street in a bid to flush out the offenders.

Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher's recently-opened fashion boutique - Pretty Green - fell victim to the looters, while a women's clothing store was set alight.

At Salford Shopping City, glass from shop windows and bus shelters littered the streets along with house bricks and rubble used to pelt riot police.

Two cars, one believed to be a BBC radio car, lay overturned and burnt out.

Firefighters came under attack from missile-throwing yobs as they attended incidents.

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: 'Criminals have brought shame in particular on the streets of Salford and Manchester.

'We want to make it absolutely clear - they have nothing to protest against. There is nothing in a sense of injustice and there has been no spark that has led to this. This has been senseless violence and senseless criminality of a scale I have never experienced in my career before.

'Over the past few hours, GMP has been faced with extraordinary levels of violence from groups of criminals intent on committing widespread disorder.

'This is nothing more than senseless violence with absolutely no regard for people, their property or livelihoods. These criminals have also attacked some of my officers and other emergency services who are simply trying to do their job to keep the public safe and restore order.'

He said that offenders had been caught on CCTV and his message for them was 'we will be coming for you'

 

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