I saw the sickening scenes unfold

Scroll down for Video

CHRONICLE reporter Helen Korn was caught up in the rioting in Manchester City Centre

Living in a city centre certainly has its advantages. But as I saw pure carnage erupt as the riots spread to Manchester yesterday, I wished I didn’t.

I had gone to Market Street to get something for tea and couldn’t believe what I saw. Scenes from London being copied where I live.

Yobs in tracksuits and hoodies everywhere, faces covered with scarves, lobbing stones and running round like maniacs. They seemed to be toying with police who were far fewer in number. The Arndale centre was evacuated and people told to leave the area.

Shops in The Northern Quarter had closed at 4pm.

One girl working nearby told me she had fled to a local cafe to escape when youths started smashing up the shop window. It was when I saw people hurling petrol bombs at the Miss Selfridge store, that fear set in: fear that could be seen in everyone’s faces.

As I got to Piccadilly Gardens, about 800 youths were hurling things and smashing up shops with anything they could lay their hands on.

I took a short cut down to King Street where people were already looting the designer shops. I headed home where I watched the horror just outside my apartment unfold on the news — but with the sounds of alarms and smells of burning to accompany it.