Police inundated with calls to 'Shop A Looter' scheme

Police said 208 arrests have been made in connection with the rioting

Police in Manchester have been inundated with tip-offs from the public in response to their "Shop A Looter" campaign, the force has said.

Pictures of suspected rioters are being displayed on advertising vans being driven around Manchester and Salford.

More than a 100 premises were damaged and looted earlier this week.

Greater Manchester Police said on Saturday there had been 208 arrests so far in connection with the rioting and 134 people had been charged.

A youth handed himself in after his friend saw his picture on the advertising vans and called him to say his image was all over Manchester, police said.

Also among the new arrests are a 13-year-old girl who has been charged with burglary and a 14-year-old boy who was detained by Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan, who also recovered stolen trainers with the tags still on.

The boy, who cannot be named, remains in custody on suspicion of burglary following a theft at the Foot Locker store in Manchester city centre.

'Good arrests'

Mr Shewan said: "We said we would be coming for you, and we are.

"Within minutes of the ad van being launched in Manchester with the faces of some of those people involved, we have been inundated with information from members of the public about who these people are.

"These are just some of the good arrests we have made."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is visiting Manchester to meet some of those affected.

Mr Clegg visited Olive Delicatessen in Whitworth Street, a family-run business near the city centre.

He spoke to Tuesday Steel, who runs it with her children, Victoria and James.

Nick Clegg visited some of those affected

Victoria Steel, 25, told Mr Clegg she was at home that night but rushed into town when she saw a picture linked to Twitter of riot police leaving the Olive premises after it was attacked.

She said: "Somebody had taken a picture of the riot police leaving and I thought, 'I've got to go down, I'm not going to sit around and wait until tomorrow to find out what damage has been done'."

Rioters had smashed their way into the shop, causing thousands of pounds of damage by breaking doors, windows and glass panels.

Ms Steel said she was so outraged she went straight to the shop with a friend.

"There were thugs, gangs on the park, and I went straight into the shop and found a guy in there," she said.

"He was behind the counter, looking for money or anything to steal. I screamed at him to get out, which he did."

Greater Manchester Police said 11 of 32 offenders charged overnight were aged 17 or under.

Charges include violent disorder, robbery, theft and criminal damage.

Magistrates courts in Manchester are holding special sittings this weekend to deal with offenders.

Mr Shewan said: "With the help of our communities we are identifying these people and arresting them.

"This is just the start - we will not rest until we have identified everyone involved."