Riot officers called as 200 pupils brawl outside school

Six teenagers were arrested and two taken to hospital following a mass brawl involving 200 pupils outside a south London school.

Police with riot shields were called to Ashburton Community School in Croydon to deal with teenagers armed with chair legs, bottles and a knife. The fight was said to have started during a row over a mobile telephone.

Residents in a street near the school, which is to become an academy run by a Christian education group, said the children were "like wild animals".

John Stretton, who lives nearby, said: "My neighbour saw one of the pupils take glass bottles from someone's recycling bins and a length of timber. I saw a young fellow being chased by police, blood streaming from his head.

"It really was frightening to see the vast numbers of people involved. Unfortunately police were completely overwhelmed."

The after-school fight disrupted traffic as pupils ran across roads.

Peter Merkell, owner of Shirley Road garage, said: "The kids were throwing punches and police blocked Shirley Road off by the school. The children have got no respect for anyone. You say something to them and they spit at you."

Teachers gave chase and caught some youths. Headteacher Richard Warne said: "My staff were very supportive and did a lot to calm the situation."

A nurse who lives opposite the school said she saw pupils at Croydon's Mayday hospital, although London Ambulance Service say only two were taken there by ambulance.

Four boys were arrested for violent disorder, three were bailed. Two girls were arrested. One, 15, was released and the other, 16, was charged with a public order offence and two counts of assaulting a police officer. She was bailed to attend Croydon youth court on 8 May.