A BOLTON man has been arrested in connection with a suspected gang-related street riot in Blackburn that ended when someone fired a shotgun.

Three men were arrested after the riot in Kempton Rise, Blackburn, on Saturday night.

A 34-year-old man from Bolton and a 31-year-old man from Blackburn were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and have been bailed.

A 30-year-old man from Blackburn has been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and is still in custody.

Onlookers called police when they heard gunfire after a fight involving up to 30 men erupted on Saturday night.

Armed police were called as the police helicopter flew overhead to try to catch the men.

A single barrel shotgun was found by police near the scene.

Two vehicles, which the police believe were used by the men, were also seized nearby.

A 20-year-old resident, who watched the incident from her bedroom window, said: “I saw a battered car with smashed in windows driving all over the place.

“Then I just saw a lot of men chasing after it with big sticks in their hands.

"I heard a screeching noise and a big bang.

“It was really scary to see and I was really frightened.

“I just kept wishing that they’d stop and not come near my house.”

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said he saw "bullet holes" in a car and shots being fired in one man’s direction.

He said: “I could see that they’d shot at him but he got up and tried to run away.

“It was really scary.

“I’d heard loud bangs and I came outside to see what was going on.

“I saw a gang of what you can only describe as hooligans, with scarves pulled up over their noses to hide their faces.

“I saw them smashing a black car that had bullet holes in the windscreen.

“They had baseball bats in their hands and one of them had a gun.

“I have two children in my house and I was trying to keep them from seeing anything and telling them there was nothing to worry about - trying to play everything down.

“I just can’t understand why people behave like this and I’ve never seen anything like it before.

“They were all chanting and shouting and banging on doors and cars - it was like something that you’d see on a crime show on TV.”