'Panic and confusion' over machetes at festive event

Witnesses said they heard shouting as the e-bike riders approached a rival group

A woman has described the moment machete-wielding youths confronted each other near Nottingham's Christmas market.

Carley, who did not want to give her surname, told the BBC she had been to the theatre with her son, sister and niece, and they were taking in the Market Square attraction when they saw e-bikes "circling".

"There was a bit of shouting and then we saw the machete and people started to scream and run," she said.

Police have described Sunday's clash as "abhorrent and shocking" and confirmed two people had been arrested.

Carley said once they had seen the knives they ran back to the market

On Sunday evening four youths on two e-bikes were reported to have confronted another group of young people, with large knives being brandished.

Carley, from Ripley in Derbyshire, said they had just walked to the back of the council house when trouble flared.

"There was a lot of panic and confusion," she said.

"We were by the Christmas tree and we saw the lads on the bikes and one of them circled around.

"There was a bit of shouting and then we saw the machete and people started to scream and run. I turned around to my sister and said 'We need to go'.

"We ducked into the side of the Christmas market and then it was really odd because it was so calm inside the market.

"We looked at each other and said 'Did that really just happen?'.

"But my niece, Summer, was shaking and crying and said 'Did you see the size of that machete?'.

"At the time we didn't know if it was a madman on the rampage."

One business said they were faced with antisocial behaviour 'on a daily basis'

Summer said: "I was in shock for a moment.

"We saw these hooded boys and the e-bikes spun around and then all of a sudden there were just these massive knives.

"All the knife incidents have been throwing me, so this will really make me think twice about coming back."

Ian Musgrove, manager of the city centre-based Loake Shoemakers, said: "We see things like this happen on a daily basis.

"There needs to be deterrents for these people who are committing the crimes, where right now there are no repercussions for their actions.

"So there needs to be more activity, more presence in the centre, in every centre of the city, every centre of the UK."

Assistant Chief Constable Suk Verma said police would not tolerate such behaviour

Assistant Chief Constable Suk Verma said armed police were on the scene in 60 seconds and promised action was being taken.

"It is abhorrent and it is shocking," he said.

"It shocked me not only as a senior police officer but also as a father and someone who is from Nottingham.

"I walk through the city and often through the market square with my children.

"But what I want to say is that it is an isolated incident but the image itself and the incident which took place, with people carrying these weapons, is unacceptable.

"We the police will not tolerate it and use the full force of the law on these people who could do untold harm to themselves and also scare innocent members of the public."

Mr Varma said knife crime was "top of the agenda" and police working with partner organisations had seen a 10.5% reduction in knife related incidents compared to last year.

A 14-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, possession of a knife blade and possession of an offensive weapon, while a 23-year-old man has been held on suspicion of violent disorder.