HUNT FOR VILE RIOTERS

Some yobs 'arrived in taxis' | Labour will look at banning the EDL

- PAUL BYRNE, LUCY THORNTON and HOLLIE BONE

UP to 300 far-right yobs and football hooligans were behind the explosion of violence in Southport, police believe.

Officers were last night examining video footage of the rioters who hurled bricks and bottles at a mosque and officers, injuring 53.

They were trying to identify the thugs who also set light to a police van in the wake of false social media reports about the 17-year-old suspected of the triple knife killing of three young girls.

Reports claimed he was a refugee, however, he was born in Wales. Four men, aged 31 to 39, from Southport, Liverpool, St Helens and Manchester, have been arrested, three on suspicion of violent disorder and one on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article.

Merseyside's Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "We will look to bring to justice every person who is identified committing criminal damage and acts of violence against our officers and our communities."