Police probe teen mass brawl claims

Rumours suggesting groups of teenagers tried to arrange an organised fight have sparked alarm among parents.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed someone told them that a brawl was supposed to be taking place in Ashton around the Whitledge Green area at about 3.25pm last Wednesday.

Officers went to the scene but could find no evidence of a fight despite patrolling the area for some time trying to get to the bottom of the issue.

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Concerned parents have now taken to social media suggesting incidents were supposed to have taken place between teenage lads from Ashton in recent days.

Cansfield High School confirmed two year 11 pupils had been involved in an incident with teenagers who do not attend the Old Road establishment and who are believed to be notorious in the local area, though few details of this have so far come to light.

Boys in the same year are thought to have been behind the planning of the Wednesday afternoon brawl which drew the attention of the police, though it is not known how many were involved.

However, the school also hit out strongly at what it claimed was a huge over-reaction on social media and said any online reports of trouble in Cansfield’s grounds were completely incorrect.

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Head Mike Southworth said: “This is nothing to do with the school at all. Incidents have taken place last weekend and the one before involving two year 11 pupils but they were perpetuated by people who don’t come to this school at all and from what I can gather are quite well known in the community.

“On Wednesday there was a coming together of these characters and some of our year 11s. This is being dealt with by the police. I’m aware that people are exaggerating situations but the atmosphere in school is calm as it always is. I cannot stress enough that these things have happened outside the school grounds. I would urge any parents who have concerns to contact the school and we will explain the whole situation to them.”

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