A POLICEMAN was assaulted as tension mounted between Asian youths during the annual Eid celebrations.

The officer was kicked and punched as police tried to break up scuffles between gangs of Indian and Pakistani youths.

Police had been called after hundreds of Asians gathered in the Whalley Range and London Road area of Blackburn last night.

It is believed trouble flared after Indian youths took exception to groups of Pakistani youngsters driving their cars in tandem around the streets of Whalley Range. One person was arrested after the scuffles.

Chief Inspector Paul Reynolds, in charge of community affairs for Blackburn Police, said tension had been increasing during the weekend celebrations.

He said: "The disturbance appeared to be about vehicles being driven by a section of the community, which some London Road residents took exception to. "We tried to reduce the tension after a large crowd gathered in the London Road area.

"Luckily we managed to diffuse the situation with the help of certain members of the ethnic community .

"One of our officers was assaulted but he got away with bruising and declined hospital treatment."

Lancashire Council of Mosques spokesman Adam Patel said: "Again it was about one per cent of the young ethnic population intent on causing problems."

One eyewitness said: "It was a heat of the moment incident. A group of young kids were trying to cause trouble and annoy the police."

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