Warwickshire Police sent to help at Birmingham looting

But no disorder took place in Leamington, Warwick or Kenilworth last night, the force has confirmed.

Rumours on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter as well as texts and calls to Courier staff suggested youths had broken windows at Leamington Shopping Park and that the bandstand in Leamington’s Pump Room Garden was on fire.

One entry on the Warwick Courier’s Facebook page said: “Fire at Priory Park rumoured.”

The paper’s Twitter feed had many tweeters reporting police sirens in Emscote Road and Lakin Road.

Warwickshire Police said there had been no reports of looting or rioting in the county, but West Midlands Police called on support from Warwickshire, West Mercia and Staffordshire forces to deal with looting in Birmingham city centre, where up to 800 people were involved in looting shops.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said he could not say what role the Warwickshire officers performed, or how many were sent.

Around 30 shops around the Bullring shopping centre and Corporation Street area were attacked with shop windows smashed and goods stolen.

Arsonists also set light to an unmanned police station in Handsworth.

Police arrested 133 people - many of them youngsters - and forensic investigations continued this morning.

West Midlands Chief Constable Chris Sims condemned the looters.

He said: “It was not an angry crowd that caused this last night, it was a greedy crowd and we are dealing with dishonesty and disorder.

“We learnt a lot last night, this was a very different disorder with a crowd focused on looting and theft. Our primary way of dealing with this will be to arrest and bring to justice as many people as possible by speeding up processes.

“We have contingency plans in place tonight which will see over 400 officers working extended shifts across the West Midlands, who will be able to respond to any situation that may develop.”

A Warwickshire Police spokeswoman said: “There have been no reports of disorder in Warwickshire overnight.

“All forces in England and Wales rely on support from other police services from time to time under a mutual aid agreement and such support is being coordinated nationally.”

In response to the rioting and looting in London and Birmingham, the @riotcleanup site was set up, calling on ordinary people to help return damaged streets to normal. A cleanup was due to begin at the Bullring at 10am today (Tuesday).

• Call 01926 457737 or email [email protected] if you saw damage in Birmingham or London or you are involved in the cleanup.