Two cars torched and 12 arrested in Worcestershire

West Mercia police have arrested 12 people from across Worcestershire after violence overnight.

About 50 extra officers were deployed to deal with hooded gangs in Kidderminster, Redditch, Worcester and Droitwich.

Two cars were set on fire in Worcester and Redditch but no looting took place.

Det Supt Martin Lakeman said the number of arrests was minimal, adding: "We haven't had many incidents in West Mercia."

"Those that commit offences, we will pursue them and bring them... before the courts."

Violence 'shocking'

Youth workers have said there is a danger that those causing the trouble across Worcestershire and the rest of the West Midlands are giving young people a bad name.

Tash Giaquinto, who works with 16 to 25-year-olds at Worcester Volunteer Centre, said: "The riots are being perpetrated by a minority of young people and we can't tar all of them with the same brush."

She also said more volunteering projects could help prevent this sort of disorder from happening.

"These projects give them something to do, give them a pride in their community, a sense of ownership, a sense of belonging and that's something that youth volunteering offers in a big way," she said.

Jamie Reece-Page, 19 from Malvern, has been a volunteer at the centre for a number of years and said the violence was "shocking".

He said: "There are the people out there generally trying to protest, there are those people who feel like they're not being heard and kicking off then there's a small group of people - the opportunists.

"They're all pockets that have come together and it's gone wrong."