Peter Fahy: 'Feeling we failed' over Manchester riots

Greater Manchester's chief constable has admitted there was "a sense we feel we failed" over last month's rioting.

Peter Fahy was giving evidence to the House of Commons Home Affairs select committee which is looking at how police forces dealt with the disorder.

Rioting and looting in Manchester city centre and Salford cost his force £3.2m, he said.

He said he felt "very, very bad" that people had been scared and businesses damaged.

Mr Fahy said about £6m of damage was caused in the Manchester and Salford riots.

"I think when you have had businesses destroyed and people's affected and when you know there were people absolutely terrified about what was going to happen obviously as a police officer, and as a senior police officer, you feel very very bad about that," Mr Fahy said.

"There is a sense absolutely where we feel we have failed because that is just inevitable but when you stand back in the cold light of day and look at the absolute bravery of the officers involved and what they faced and the absolute savagery from some parts and look at the tactics and say is there anything else we could have done, I think you have to say no."

However, the force would learn lessons from the rioting, he said.

He added that he had never seen such positive reaction from the public in the 30 years he has been serving as a police officer.

People had given officers gifts, invited them in for cups of tea and made donations to police charities.

He said there had also been support from local politicians, celebrities and the media.