Violence broke out in the city centre at 1630 BST after crowds at an Anti-Nazi League rally discovered that National Front sympathisers were gathering in a nearby pub.

When police reinforcements arrived, in full riot gear, anger turned towards them.

Broken bottles, bricks and petrol bombs thrown by the rioters have left a trail of damage and disorder in the city.

By the evening police had made 18 arrests - 11 whites and seven Asians.

The Campaign for Racial Equality's Commissioner for the North of England, Mohammed Amran, has been demanding to know how the police allowed a peaceful demonstration to get out of hand and why they failed to provide better information.

Police managed to move the rioters out of the city centre and have closed it down.

Stand-off continues

More than 1,000 people are still confronting police in the Manningham district of the city.

The crowds there are still not under control and disturbances are expected to continue into the night.

This predominantly Asian area was the scene of serious rioting six years ago.

Racial tension in Bradford has erupted into violence twice already this year. In disturbances in May, 80 police officers were injured.

There have also been recent riots in Oldham and Burnley in a summer characterised by racial unrest in Northern towns.

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