POLICE have launched an investigation into a street brawl after footage of the fight was posted on a video sharing website.

The video, called 'Accrington Street Fight', which appears to show children and men fighting in a terraced street, can be viewed on YouTube.

At one point a man can be seen being bent over a car and repeatedly punched and women can be heard screaming in the background.

The police investigation was sparked after the Lancashire Telegraph alerted police at Accrington CID to the video.

Officers said they would encourage people with footage of a potential crime to come to them in the first instance, rather than posting it on the web.

And detectives will also be making inquiries into who was behind the footage.

The leader of Hyndburn Council Peter Britcliffe condemned who ever posted it for "bringing shame on the town".

He said: "I thought punch-ups were limited to Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

"It's not something we hear of often in our neighbourhoods.

"I don't know how authentic it is, but it's not the message that we want to be putting out - we are a place that is going forward.

"I would say that this is not doing your town any favours. The huge majority of us are proud of the place where we live.

"A minority don't like the town."

According to records on the website, the 51-second clip was posted on Wednesday, November 29.

It has been uploaded under the name of Y076 and appears to have been recorded from a front garden.

It also shows a number of neighbours watching the action unfold in their street.

Detective Sergeant Paul Rudd, of Accrington CID, said officers would be investigating the matter.

He added: "We would like to speak to any person featured in the clip.

"If people see a crime and record it I would ask them to contact the police in the first instance."

More than 100 million video clips are viewed every day on the YouTube website.

The site has gained so much popularity since its launch in February 2005 that the internet search engine giant, Google, paid £883m to buy it in October.

Anyone with information about the incident should call Accrington CID on 01254 353743.