Oldham licensee caught in race riots

An Oldham licensee, his staff and customers were trapped in a pub overnight while the riots raged outside over Bank Holiday weekend.

Licensee Paul Barrow, of the Live and Let Live pub in the Glodwick area of Oldham, claimed the first sign of trouble came when a group of Asian youths burst into the pub, punching him and pushing his wife Ann out of the way.

"The first of them got through the door and attacked the customers with whatever they could get their hands on - bottles, stools and glasses." he said.

In a separate attack a petrol bomb landed in the pub's lounge bar, setting fire to the carpet and curtains.

Mr Barrow's sister Jean Chapel who is licensee of the Westwood Inn in Oldham's Featherstall Road South, fled her pub when it was fire-bombed.

At the Ordnance Arms at Park Road, Glodwick, firebombs were thrown through the windows and the Owd Kitts on Glodwick Road was also damaged by petrol bombs.

The Brook Tavern on Rochdale Road has been boarded up after coming under attack and the Jolly Carter in Lees Road was full of regulars when it was bombarded with petrol bombs and bricks.

The riots between Asian and white youths have been blamed on racial tension in Oldham which was stirred up by the presence of the British National Party (BNP) and National Front party in the town over the weekend.

The BNP is fielding an election candidate in Oldham and the police have stepped up their patrols in the run up to Thursday's General Election.