This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/manchester/7943556.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| BNP member attacked with hammer | BNP member attacked with hammer |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A British National Party (BNP) member was attacked with a hammer when protesters arrived at a campaign event in Greater Manchester. | A British National Party (BNP) member was attacked with a hammer when protesters arrived at a campaign event in Greater Manchester. |
| Violence broke out as 30 people surrounded a BNP vehicle outside the Ellesmere Pub in St Helens Road in Leigh on Friday evening, said police. | |
| Tony Ward, 48, was hit with a hammer and later treated in hospital. | Tony Ward, 48, was hit with a hammer and later treated in hospital. |
| A 25-year-old man arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm has since been given police bail. | |
| Officers arrived at the pub to discover the BNP's trailer had been overturned, said a police spokesman. | Officers arrived at the pub to discover the BNP's trailer had been overturned, said a police spokesman. |
| A traffic diversion was put in place on St Helen's Road, while the trailer was removed and the road was closed. It has since reopened. | A traffic diversion was put in place on St Helen's Road, while the trailer was removed and the road was closed. It has since reopened. |
| One witness told BBC News: "They had hammers and they smacked the vehicle to pieces, smashed all the windows and tore off the bumper, completely decimated it. | One witness told BBC News: "They had hammers and they smacked the vehicle to pieces, smashed all the windows and tore off the bumper, completely decimated it. |
| "I was shocked at what I saw." | "I was shocked at what I saw." |
| A BNP fundraising event had been due to take place at Pure nightclub in Leigh, but it was cancelled at the last minute. | A BNP fundraising event had been due to take place at Pure nightclub in Leigh, but it was cancelled at the last minute. |
| Simon Darby, the party's deputy leader said: "This was a violent attack by a group of thugs in which one of our members was badly injured. | Simon Darby, the party's deputy leader said: "This was a violent attack by a group of thugs in which one of our members was badly injured. |
| "But we will not be put off." | "But we will not be put off." |
| The BNP's Nick Griffin has been in the area to host the event, said Mr Darby. | The BNP's Nick Griffin has been in the area to host the event, said Mr Darby. |