Fights broke on the Moor, in Longridge and Mobberley after closing time on Friday - giving the police a public order headache that lasted well into the small hours.

Revellers taking advantage of the balmy weather didn't want to go home and tempers frayed as the summer bonhomie wore off.

"People were mainly mucking about and the majority were in good spirits," said Inspector Stuart Warmisham. "But all our officers were kept busy with reports of fighting."

A window was smashed at the Patisserie in King Street, bottles were hurled in Canute Square, phone boxes were damaged at the bus station and Parkfield Road's signpost was stolen.

The police's problems were made worse by James Taylor fans

leaving a concert in Tatton Park and drivers travelling the wrong way down King Street.

Not even Knutsford Police Station escaped the mayhem. Flowers from their display boxes were dug up and hurled into the street. The worst fighting broke out on the Moor where a man was taken to hospital with head injuries after a set-to between gangs from Sale and Knutsford.

But most of the injured in the other brawls - two which involved louts from out of town - were walking wounded and there was only arrest - a suspected drunk driver.

"We were out there and going from incident to incident to incident," said Inspector Warmisham yesterday (Tuesday). "We were so busy but don't have much to show for it."

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