CARNIVAL fun ended in terror when a riot broke out among revellers and showmen.

Police officers were called in to break up a mass brawl and running fights as violent scenes brought an end to And Billy Edwards, 68, who managed the fairground rides, says he was sickened by the ugly scenes on a school playing field close to Leigh.

Mr Edwards claims a group of 10 showmen, many of them pensioners, were set upon by a Golborne mob.

The trouble kicked off as the town's Carnival day drew to a close and followed an incident during which a boy had been refused entry to the funhouse by a fairground worker.

Showmen claim the funhouse owner was set upon by a gang and, as his work mates stepped in to rescue him, a full scale fight developed.

Mr Edwards said: "We have run kiddies' fairs in some of the roughest areas of Manchester and never had a problem like this.

"It's a miracle that no-one was seriously hurt. There were at least four pensioners that were attacked.

"My 76-year-old brother, Tommy, was one of them. He fought in the war and said he's only been scared twice in his life, once at Normandy and here at Golborne." Mr Edwards, who has run the Carnival's fair for the last 15 years, suffered a cut to his nose during the attack and carnival organisers have since sent him Get Well cards. He says other pensioner showmen were punched and injured during the fighting and police had to escort the fairground workers from the site to the East Lancs Road.

Now he says he will not return to the carnival ground at St Thomas C of E primary school playing fields off Church Street, Golborne.

Mr Edwards' son, also called Billy, said: "Basically it was a mini riot. The fighting was stopping and starting."

The shameful scenes, which came as the town's 51st Carnival drew to a close, have been condemned by organisers.

A carnival committee spokesman said: "We have spoken to Mr Edwards and tried to stress to him that no-one in Golborne blames him.

"I feel very sad about what has happened. All hell was let loose and when police officers arrived they had to call for reinforcements.

"It was as I just never thought anything like this would happen at Golborne carnival."

A police spokesman confirmed they had been called to the scene following reports of violence but no-one was arrested.

He added: "The fair ground operators were packing up and so were given a clear run to the East Lancs."