Bolton barbecue call-out police attacked

7:56am Monday 12th May 2008

POLICE were pelted with bricks and bottles when a barbecue erupted into violence.

Officers called to the disturbance had to radio for help from the riot squad when a gang of 40 people turned on them.

They had gone to Woodfield Street, Great Lever, at around 9.40pm on Saturday night after neighbours complained that the barbecue party was becoming too rowdy.

Police were preparing to leave after arresting two guests for minor public order offences when a mob of other partygoers, most of them teenagers, turned on them.

The tactical aid unit and dog handlers were called to help deal with the mayhem and officers drew their batons as they tried to control the rioting guests.

A total of seven boys and two girls, all in their late teens, were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and have been bailed, pending further inquiries.

Nobody was seriously injured during the incident.

Det Insp Stuart Wilkinson, from Bolton CID, said: "It was a house party where a lot of alcohol was consumed and things got completely out of control.

"Two of the partygoers were arrested for minor public order offences, which caused the rest of the party to turn on the police, attacking them violently by throwing bottles and bricks.

"Extra police officers were called in to patrol the area through the night to make sure there were no further flashpoints and to reassure the community.

"I would like to make it clear that there are no community tensions in the area and this was simply a party that got out of control."

The party was held at the home of Christa Jones, aged 27. She said friends had been celebrating an 18th birthday when one of the drunken guests threw something through her front window.

"The police dragged me out of the house and threw me in a van," she said. "They wouldn't even let me put my shoes on."

Several other teenagers at the party had injuries which, they claimed, had been inflicted by police.

A local resident said: "I heard some teenagers shouting and screaming, so I looked out to see what was going on.

"There was a group of five or six teenagers and they told me the cops were chasing people. I heard cars skidding and sirens. It's a bad street."

Another resident said there had been a lot of problems recently and added: "It's been going on for three months now."

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