An English Defence League mob, including two men from Chorley, were described as a ‘pack of wild animals’ after they took part in a flash mob protest in Lancashire which descended into chaos.

One Asian teenager was punched and kicked during the disturbance last July and another Asian man was run over as around 25 EDL supporters rolled into Brierfield last July.

Martin Corner, 31, of Corporation Street, and Graham Smith, 48, of Drapefield, each escaped jail over their roles in the disturbance. But passing sentence Judge Norman Wright said the events of the day saw ‘middle-aged men running around like a pack of animals’.

Corner and Smith both admitted using threatening behaviour and were given 16-week prison sentences, suspended for two years.

The judge also gave Corner 12 months probation supervision with a 13-week curfew and Smith was given 100 hours community service.

Prosecutors sought anti-social behaviour orders against the pair but defence lawyers successfully argued against them.

The court heard Smith, who was of previous good character, had been a doorman for an EDL event and admitted to being a supporter, but not an active member of the far-right organisation.

Corner was said to have attended previous EDL demonstrations but never any involving violence, and he didn’t expect trouble on this occasion.

EDL ringleader Bernard Holmes was jailed for 18 months for his role in co-ordinating the protest, which ended when a rival gang of Asian youths confronted the mob in the Castle Street area of the town.

Protests had taken place earlier that day in Accrington and Clitheroe, and outside the home of MEP Sajjad Karim at Simonstone, who said his wife and daughter were left ‘terrified’ by the ordeal.

But the later protest in Brierfield saw several banners with anti-Muslim slogans unfurled and racist chanting, the court heard.