Bus blaze riot mob 'will face full force of the law'

THUGS who set fire to a bus and overturned a police car in a riot will "face the full force of the law", Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned yesterday.

- Stephen Beech

A series of blazes were started and bricks were thrown at officers after trouble flared in the Harehills area of Leeds on Thursday.

Hundreds of yobs, many with their faces covered, continued to rampage in the streets throughout the night, pelting police vehicles.

The incident is understood to have been sparked by social services staff trying to take four children from a family.

Five people were taken into custody yesterday. West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs said: "We're making arrests and will continue to do so over the next few days.

"To those who are responsible for the criminality seen in Harehills, our investigation will be relentless and I urge you to do the right thing and hand yourself in to the police while you have the opportunity to do so.

"I also issue the same message to the parents of those young people involved, to make contact with the police now."