A BRITISH National Party member was injured with a hammer as party activists and protestors fought in Leigh.

The Party’s planned Battle for Britain Roadshow turned into the battle of Leigh bridge as a group of Anti fascists turned over a Land Rover and attacked candidate Tony Ward, 48.

He was later treated in hospital for cuts to his head.

Demonstrators who answered the call to a peaceful protest against the BNP were disgusted by the violence which erupted.

One said: “I was appalled at the thuggery of some of the so-called supporters of our cause whose actions, in fact reduced the image of the group to a level of contempt beneath that of the BNP itself on this occasion.

“We don’t want them in Leigh any more than we want to BNP.

“Unless we can be assured of a more civilised approach in future, the support of principled people like myself will be withdrawn.”

Police later said a 25-years-old man arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm has been bailed.

Violence broke out as 30 people surrounded and smashed up a BNP vehicle parked near the bridge in St Helens Road.

Officers arrived around 6.30pm on Friday to discover a trailer had been overturned.

A diversion was set up on St Helens Road while it was removed and the road was closed.

The BNP fundraising event had been due to take place at a nightclub in West Bridgewater Street, Leigh, but it was cancelled at the 11th hour.

It is thought some BNP members were not told in time and gathered in Leigh where they were confronted by the protestors.

A protest organiser said: “Having got wind of the anti-fascist mobilisation against their proposed ‘private fundraising event’ the previous day the BNP leader failed to show his face in the town.

“What we showed the BNP’s boot boys who did come to Leigh, is that any attempt by them to move into our area will be resisted and that they shouldn’t ever try to come back.

“They certainly left Leigh with their tails between their legs.”

Simon Darby, the party's deputy leader said: "This was a violent attack by a group of thugs in which one of our members was badly injured, but we will not be put off."