North of England Correspondent Richard Wells: Appeals for calm were ignored

Violence erupted in skirmishes among about 80 youths near a police station at 0100 GMT on Friday.

Police said the youths ignored requests to disperse and began hurling fireworks and rockets at the Toller Lane Police Station.

The station is located in the Manningham district of the city, which saw disturbances by Muslim youths in 1995.

In the violence a local car sales showroom was set alight and destroyed while a telephone kiosk with a gas cylinder inside was set ablaze.

Fire also broke out at the nearby Listers Mill - caused by what police believe was a stray firework.

Police chiefs were forced to call in other officers from different parts of West Yorkshire to tackle the disorder.

... as was a nearby telephone booth

A barrage of missiles aimed at officers and the police station continued until police dressed in riot gear moved in to disperse the crowd.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.

On Thursday, at about 1900 GMT, violence broke out in Halifax, ten miles away, when police cars came under attack from youths.

A number of vehicles were set alight by youngsters and police carrying shields were called in to protect firefighters from the angry mob.

Local community leaders were drafted in along with officers from across the county to help disperse the youths.

Police said they were making inquiries into the disturbances.

Mohammed Ajeeb, deputy leader of Bradford Council and a councillor for the Manningham area, said around 60 youths, between the ages of 13 and 16, were involved in what was "a very minor disturbance".

"It was probably due to the over-reaction to the excitement of some of the youths who were enjoying the fireworks.

"There were no arrests and the situation was calmed very quickly. It was nothing compared to the riots of 1995," he said.

'Need for dialogue'

Mr Ajeeb said it was vital that the police established a direct line of communication between themselves and the city's young Asian community before trouble erupted again.

He said: "After the disturbances of 1995 I thought there would be some kind of direct communication between the police and the youths.

"That seems to have failed. The police need to re-establish some kind of meaningful communication with the young people of the area."

He said the police should have learnt that problems cannot be solved without a dialogue being established.

But Mr Ajeeb also warned that the youths themselves had to control their behaviour.

"They have got to realise that if any damage is done to property and the area, it will cost the community.

"It is their job to protect the community because it's the area they live in."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire fire service said crews had been unable to get to various fires in the area because of the trouble.

He said: "When there are civil disturbances we have a procedure whereby we don't go anywhere in the area without a police escort.

"For quite a long period last night we couldn't get into these two areas because of the disturbances.