Liveblog: Latest London disturbances

Usual team working tonight: Gaz Corfield (liveblog), Xenia Coudrille (Facebook) and Ricky Compton (Twitter)

Live updates below.

—

0001: London is staying quiet tonight and we are going to bed before 5am, hurrah! Thanks to all who’ve supported us and sent us updates, we do appreciate it. Thanks for all donations to the beer fund – we may wander down to a Central London pub at some point soon and get our round in. Extra pennies muchly appreciated, your support really means a lot to all of us – we aren’t paid for this.

For those of you listening to the radio tomorrow morning, Gaz will be appearing on BBC Radio 5 Live at about 0840ish to discuss the rioting.

We’ll leave with this from Roger in the comments:

“This should be an example to the looters: 3 days of hard work and people start delivering beer to your door! No need to burn anything, break anything, attack anybody, steal anything – or break any laws whatsoever! Just work hard and people give you beer!”

… and a topical cartoon from Vic Jeganathan!

2348: Ruislip and Essex are both confirmed as quiet. I think the collapse of civilisation has ceased, children. (it’s got to that point where alliteration keeps us entertained…)

2345: We’re going to knock off in ten minutes; London is calm.

2340: Brentford, Chiswick and Finchley all quiet and calm. Helicopter reported to be over Finchley.

2333: New Addington all quiet as far as we know. Just rumours and hearsay over there, nothing more.

2332: Unconfirmed reports of something happening in New Addington, checking that out now.

2329: All quiet on the Western Front. Hertfordshire Police reporting that all is calm over there too.

2326: Disturbances of small reports? Try “reports of small disturbances” – I’m not tired at all, honest…

2322: All quiet in Ruislip. Ditto Wembley. Lots of police in both areas but that’s probably because they’re taking no chances when they receive disturbances of small reports.

2318: Definitely quiet out there. Any news? Tweet us @thewestlondoner and @gazthejourno.

2309: Feltham reporting that all is calm there. Not much coming in from elsewhere. Seems that earlier attempts to start the riots up were swiftly squashed by police.

2306: Reports coming in of two unexplained deaths in a house in Harlington. Probably not riot-related at all, but we’re waiting on more from that.

2304: Sky News carrying various segments on the Birmingham deaths.

2301: Everything seems to have calmed down. Could this be related to the police being granted powers to use plastic bullets?

2259: Hounslow appears to be quiet. More updates as we receive them.

2256: Heavy rain in Manchester according to Sky News weather, appears to be helping to deter any action.

2254: Southall: Gathering near the Havelock Estate, outside the Sunrise building. Police have dispersed them.

2252: Nothing coming in, we’re watching many locations including Southall and Enfield. Any updates, please sent to @TheWestLondoner.

2247: Arrests in Greater Manchester. GM Police say “If you want to cause disorder. We’ll lock you up”.

2243: Police appear to be in control in towns across London. More updates as we get them.

2239: No confirmed reports of Hertford Road. But appears any kind of crowd that may be present are not causing any disruption.

2236: Erith is quiet, nothing to report from there. London seems calm on the whole … (awaits problems erupting now we’ve jinxed)

2232: Various reports from Eltham that clashes between police and people there were related to differing political groups.

2229: Reports of fire in Tottenham are apparently of a clothing factory. Not related to riots – London Fire Brigade are already there and have it under control.

2227: VIDEO: Sean Cameron in Tulse Hill has footage of police vans driving around there. Absolutely no suggestions of problems there.

2222: Lots of police in North Finchley. Meanwhile earlier reports of a factory on fire in Tottenham have been confirmed – fire brigade and police are on the scene and it’s well under control.

2220: All seems calm as far as we can see. Tweet us with updates – @thewestlondoner or @gazthejourno.

2216: No further reports on North Finchley – seems that that was false.

2213: Sky News live footage over Eltham shows nothing but police and police carriers in the area. That area’s most definitely secure for now!

2211: Sky News reporting that because so many of the arrested looters & rioters are under 18 it is unlikely that many will be sent to prison. We don’t offer a comment on that.

2210: Tottenham is quiet as far as we can see, not sure about the reports of that rumoured explosion there. Could be someone with their hearing aid turned up too loud?

2207: Eltham is remaining quiet. Meanwhile Uxbridge is nice and quiet, as is Hayes. Insp Nick Aldworth of Hillingdon Police says:

“Hillingdon borough has remained a safe and secure area over the last 24 hours and together with our partners we congratulate our many communities for the solidarity and strength they have shown in preventing the violence that has been elsewhere from coming to our borough.”

Congratulations XH – keep it up!

2204: The three men who had a car driven at them in Dudley, Birmingham, have all died. One of them apparently died on the scene.

2202: BBC 5 Live’s man on the ground is reporting that Eltham has calmed down now. Seems that a group of people chucked various objects at police and were then dispersed. Westminster magistrates’ court is staying open all night, reports Sky News.

2159: Police telling a large group of people to go home in Enfield.

2158: Strong police presence in North Finchley, reports of something happening there. Reports that there is a fire in Tottenham, we’re checking that now.

2154: North Wales Police are reportedly on the scene in Eltham. The Met’s mutual aid system really is working well!

2153: Staines is nice and quiet, says our man over there. Meanwhile I’ve opened the first can of many energy drinks tonight!

2152: The man who was shot dead in Croydon yesterday has been named as Trevor Ellis, LBC reports.

2151: Bush Hill Park station is quite near to the troubles reported at the retail park just east of the town centre.

2150: Enfield town centre is reported to be quiet.

2149: Unconfirmed rumours of trouble brewing in the region of Bush Hill Park station, Enfield. Doesn’t seem to be anything happening down there, though.

2147: Eltham now. Lots of police, little sign of anyone else!

2144: Eltham latest is that police are outnumbering the people causing trouble – about 80 police are present.

2141: Catford is reported to be quiet. Checking rumours from Enfield now, but initial reports there say there is a heavy police presence keeping things calm. Reportedly 50+ riot vans in Eltham area now.

2140: Eltham High Street is closed – the crowd there is now reportedly dispersing. Seems to have been a flash rather than a riot. Keeping tabs on the situation.

2136: Eltham latest – police have been bottled by a large group but situation is mostly under control, reports BBC 5 Live.

2134: Large numbers gathering in Eltham but no reports of clashes there just yet. Heavy police presence too. Meanwhile in Catford several reports are coming in of a disturbance there, we are confirming that now.

2126: Enough is happening to make us start up again – shame that, I was enjoying the Budweiser along with a Chinese takeaway…

We will be a few minutes getting this page up and running – my utmost respect to Xenia for keeping Twitter and Facebook going!