Gang warfare on the streets of London as Asian and black youths battle outside Julie Christie's house



A warm late summer afternoon on a leafy street in an area colonised by fashionable cafes and shops came to an abrupt end when the peace was shattered by a raw, terrifying eruption of gang violence this week.



Armed with spades, screwdrivers, bars and sticks, two gangs clashed and sent locals fleeing into shops for safety.

This running battle between black and Asian youths - a sickening example of brutal Britain today - was captured by a photographer who had been waiting in the street to take a photo of the actress Julie Christie, who lives nearby.



Savage: Metal poles and sticks are used as weapons as the running battle continues in East London

A group of Asians take on a group of black youths with screwdrivers, spades, metal poles and sticks outside Julie Christie's home

In one picture, youths wielding sticks and spades attack each other and in another, a youth wearing a hoodie and a baseball cap uses a screwdriver in a stabbing motion.



Some of the gang members wore masks as they charged down the street waving sticks and other assorted weapons - one even brandishing a Wellington boot as a makeshift weapon.

The confrontation happened on Wednesday in streets around Columbia Road, East London, which is home to a popular Sunday morning flower market.



One gang member attacks another with a screwdriver as the two gangs confront one another

The fracas lasted around 20 minutes and involved at least ten gang members. It is

understood to have flared after an Asian man accused several youths of vandalising his property.







A spokesman for Scotland Yard said it had received numerous calls about the battle.

He added: 'We are reviewing the evidence and will take action to identify the offenders and disrupt any further youth disturbances.