Market town turns into 'war zone' as '300 invaders from Leicester' break lockdown and swarm its pub
A SLEEPY market town was turned into a “war zone” after hundreds of drunken revellers flouted Leicester’s lockdown and flocked to pubs.
Market Harborough, just 12 miles from the Leicester quarantine boundary, was mobbed on Super Saturday as boozers threw open their doors for the first time since the coronavirus quarantine began.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The scenes were so chaotic one local described them as “carnage” with cops forced to slap an urgent dispersal order to send drinkers packing.
It comes after Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby sparked fury when he claimed people in search of a pint “could drive to Market Harborough”, after the government locked down the city town for two weeks.
Electricity engineer Kevin Spicknall saw the disorder unfold from a cherry picker while working.
He said crowds gathered outside three pubs in the East Midlands town – with one woman attacked during the chaos.
There were fights, tussles with the police .One girl was beaten up by some people from Leicester.
Mr Spicknall addded: "Throughout the afternoon everything was lovely and settled.
"Then, at about 6pm, the pubs started to get really busy and it was noticeable they weren't locals.
“And from then on it became messy. There were fights, tussles with the police.
"One girl was beaten up by some people from Leicester.
"So the police decided to start clamping down and issued a dispersal order.
"It wasn't extreme violence but there were angry young men acting like angry young men."
'ABSOLUTE DISGRACES'
Mr Spicknall said the up to 300 people had arrived in the town, packing onto trains, cars and taxis.
He added: "You could tell they were from Leicester – the accent is very different. It's really noticeable to someone from Market Harborough when they speak to someone from Leicester.
"There were lots and lots of police – almost like you'd see at the football."
Other locals condemned the thugs as “absolute disgraces" and "absolutely outrageous".
One added: "Put us back into lockdown and keep the idiots at home!”
Put us back into lockdown and keep the idiots at home!
Another said on Twitter: “It was pandemonium last night in Harborough, with gangs of thugs out from Leicester.
“All pubs in Leicestershire should remain shut until the city opens.
“Harborough was like a war zone with all the lights and noise.”
One tweeter added: “Half of Leicester was in Market Harborough for a pint."
Despite temporary laws being imposed in Leicester – which has the UK's highest Covid-19 rate – there was no enforceable ban on travel out of the city.
Transport police at Leicester station advised locals not to travel but had no powers to stop them.
Market Harborough is just a 15-minute direct train ride away or a 20 minute drive from Leicester.
A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: “Reports were received of a woman having been assaulted in the town on Saturday and enquiries are continuing into the allegation.
“As a result of these enquiries a 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault after a man was subsequently injured. The suspect remains in police custody.”
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures – and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply 'Like' our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
Source: Read Full Article