VETERANS and residents who attended a Remembrance service were outraged as a man let off fireworks beside the gathered crowd during the moment of silence for fallen soldiers.

Chaos and fights with traffic cones ensued as hundreds of people, residents and soldiers, were out in force this morning to pay their respects to fallen war veterans.

Participants were left in shock by rockets let off in the middle of the solemn service at around 11am, when the two-minutes of silence is followed across the country.

As the Last Post played and attendees stood in silence at the cenotaph in Eccles, Salford, the series of fireworks exploded into the sky, let off from a pub adjacent to the cenotaph.

A man, believed to be a squatter at a disused pub across the road from the cenotaph, ignited the fireworks while sat on a ledge of a first floor window, The Bolton News understands.

A crowd of people, including elderly servicemen, soon gathered outside the property shouting "get him out!" and reportedly trying to break the door of the pub down, with others attempting to climb up to the window.

A lone police officer was seen to be stood blocking the door shouting into his police radio as he struggled to hold the crowd back from getting inside, before reinforcements arrived.

When the squatter, wearing what appeared to be army-style fatigues, appeared at the window to remonstrate with the crowd, a number of traffic cones were launched at him before he retreated back inside, according to reports of the incident.

A second man then appeared at the same window, appearing to spit at the crowd, who shouted for him to dare to come outside the pub.

Police reinforcements soon arrived and the man, handcuffed with his head held down, was bundled out of the pub to a waiting police car which quickly sped away.

A large crowd remained at the scene with more people, who appeared to be squatting at the pub, left inside, as a squad of police officers guarded the entrance.

A spokesperson for GMP said: "Shortly after 11.05am today (Sunday 10 November 2019), police were called to reports of a disturbance at a pub on Church Street in Eccles.

"Officers attended and a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence. He has been taken to custody for questioning.

"Initial enquiries suggest that a firework was thrown through the window of the pub.

"There are no reported injuries.

"Enquiries are ongoing."

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 1183 of 10/11/2019, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.