Masked gang smashes up pub

Landlord Geoff Smith outside the Friendship Inn

A MASKED gang smashed up a Clarksfield pub shortly after a packed fireworks display.

Several children were still in the Friendship Inn, Lees Road, when a table was thrown at a window and the fruit machine picked up and smashed.

The trouble flared at around 9.15pm on bonfire night when around 12 men went into the pub.

Initially there there was no problem and landlord Geoff Smith said: “It happened in no time. They said something, put on balaclavas and started smashing the place up. It was just mayhem and then they scarpered as quickly as they had come.

“If it had happened earlier, a lot of people would have got hurt. The vast majority of the children had gone by then.”

Around 60 children had attended the popular fireworks display at the pub. At the time of the attack about 30 people were in the pub, including seven or eight children.

The attackers were described as Asian and were accompanied by another 30 to 40 people who stayed outside.

Landlady Pauline Phillips believes the pub may have been targeted in a case of mistaken identity.

She does not think the attack was racist and added: “We have the firework party every year. We have never had any trouble. I do not know what it going on.”

Police are investigating the incident.

A police spokesman said the trouble had begun as a fight outside the pub and around 15 youths had spilled inside to turn tables over and cause other damage.

“There were no injuries and the crime had been classed as criminal damage.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161-872 5050.