The police helicopter was called in the aftermath of the funeral of murdered dad-of-one Clarence Edwards because of a cortege of off-road bikes and quad bikes.

Five men were later arrested across south Manchester, Trafford and Salford and six bikes were seized following reports of dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour throughout the afternoon.

Around 50 bikes were dispersed by police from the Southern Cemetery area of Chorlton at around 2.50pm today and the force helicopter was dispatched to monitor the situation.

There were then numerous reports of dangerous driving and anti-social behaviour in areas including Ashton-on-Mersey, Stretford and Salford.

The men - aged between 18 and 25 - were arrested for a number of offences including theft, dangerous driving and public order offences.

The off-road bike cortege is believed to have been a tribute to Clarence, 26 - who was a bike enthusiast.

(Image: Dominic Salter)

Eye-witnesses spotted bikes being driven on pavements, the wrong way round roundabouts and through Salford Precinct.

Karen Watts wrote on Facebook: “I got caught up in them at Trafford park and was very scared as they were intimidating workers in the car parks and bringing traffic to a halt while they tore up the grass verges.”

Charlotte Johnson wrote: “My son was nearly knocked over and he was on footpath, i understand this was for a funeral, but someone was going to get hurt.”

A number were involved in police chases and officers stopped a number of bikes using ‘stinger’ devices in the road.

Chief Inspector Mark Dexter, said: “This incident was particularly difficult to deal with, the speed and manoeuvrability of the group combined with the heavy traffic made stopping the group very challenging.

“With support from the National Police Air Service we were able to coordinate ground patrols and, using a range of tactics, intercept and disable the bikes.

“These individuals caused chaos and danger on the roads and we used all the tactics available to us to stop them as quickly as possible.

“We have made a number of arrests and seized a number of the bikes and will continue to review video footage with a view to identifying and prosecuting those who were involved today.”

Clarence - also known as Clay - was stabbed to death during a disturbance outside a nightclub on Charles Street, Manchester city centre last month.

Five people have been arrested in connection with his murder but no-one has yet been charged.