Labour party candidates Julie Minns and Dave Allen are calling for action to tackle anti-social behaviour following a serious incident in Carlisle city centre on Saturday.

Dave Allen, who is the Labour Candidate for Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, and Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Carlisle, Julie Minns, visited city centre shops on Monday, November 6 and spoke with staff affected by the incident.

Staff explained how members of the public had run into shops for safety after several individuals began throwing fireworks around the market cross area on Saturday afternoon.

At least one business had a firework thrown into the main area of their shop, while other shops were forced to close their doors to keep staff and customers safe.

A 16-year-old was arrested on Saturday but has now been released and is still under investigation. 

Commenting on the first-hand reports, Julie Minns said, "I am shocked and appalled by the dangerous behaviour of what appears to have been a small group of individuals.

"It is clear from talking to staff that it is only by luck that someone was not seriously hurt on Saturday. It is also clear that this was not an isolated incident.

"Staff told us that fireworks had been let off the previous weekend and that staff are regularly hassled by the same group of people on a weekly basis.

"This has to stop. Our city centre is already suffering from shop closures and we cannot allow shoppers to be deterred by the irresponsible behaviour of a minority who have no regard for either their own safety or that of others".

City Centre staff told Julie and Dave that fireworks were being thrown around over the course of a couple of hours, prompting multiple 999 calls to the police.

Dave Allen, who is himself a retired police officer, intends to raise Saturday's events with Cumbria's Chief Constable at a meeting this week, "It's a cliche but what's needed is some good old-fashioned policing.

"A visible police presence with officers on foot in the town centre will not only deter such behaviour, but will ensure it is nipped in the bud before it can escalate to the level it did on Saturday.

"The work the local police do at the Welfare Hub do on Botchergate on Saturday night is great, but we now need a similar presence earlier in the day in the city centre."

Both candidates said that Conservative cuts were a reason for rising antisocial behaviour. 

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Inspector Andy Leather from the Carlisle Neighbourhood Policing Team said “Over the weekend we seen several incidents of anti-social behaviour, some of these included the use of bangers and fireworks aimed at members of the public.

“The incidents we had seen over the weekend will not be tolerated and those dispersed last night and on Saturday will be receiving a home visit from the neighbourhood policing team.

“We would encourage parents and carers to speak to young people about the impact of their behaviour, ask them where they are and what they are doing."