COMMUNITY leaders in a multicultural city neighbourhood rocked by knife-, baseball- bat- and brick-wielding rioters on Sunday night, have spoken of the need not to apportion blame in the event's fragile aftermath.

Their call came after more than 100 people were involved in skirmishes with police when trouble flared in Derby Road, St Mary's.

Last night, St Mary's remained quiet but tense. Small groups of youths could be seen along Derby Road and police maintained a high visibility presence in the area.

Chief Superintendent Graham Wyeth of Southampton police said: "It was a dispute between two families over a relationship between a man and a woman which escalated over several days before it manifested itself in the large-scale violence.

"The scale and ferocity of the violence was a surprise to us and we will be monitoring the area and affording a high-visibility presence in the area, and if there is any additional violence we feel we will be able to quickly and unequivocally react."

Many local spiritual and cultural leaders have visited Derby Road since the outbreak of violence to help in the clean-up operation and speak face-to-face to traumatised families.

Arshad Sharif, of The Muslim Council of Southampton, said: "There have been no serious incidents in Derby Road until now and people in the area are usually very tolerant to each other. I don't live far away from there myself.

"We are still trying to get all the facts together about what happened and it would not be right to blame any group. Members of the Muslim Council are in the process of talking to Afghan community leaders.

"There is no point in trying to blame anyone."

Reverend Ian Johnson, team rector of Southampton City Centre, said: "This was a dispute between two extended families that just got out of control.

"I would hate for this isolated incident to get blown out of all proportion.

"I have been to Derby Road and people are shocked by what has happened. However, it is fair to say that this has not done the reputation of St Mary's any good.

"Race relations in Southampton are very good compared with other cities in Britain and need to remain that way."

A spokesman for the Razvia Bar-Ul-Aloom mosque in Rowlands Cut, St Mary's, said everyone connected with the well-attended holy site had been "saddened" by the trouble that broke out shortly before 8.30pm on Sunday night.

"People living in the Derby Road area are worried about what could happen next. There are many asylum seekers in the area and the atmosphere is not always nice.

"You feel disgusted when you walk past all the broken car windows, bricks and other objects lying around the streets."

St Matthew's Community Hall in St Mary's Road is being used by police to collate witness statements to help with their inquiries.

A policeman was taken to Southampton General Hospital after being assaulted in the street battle. It took 25 officers until just before 9pm to restore law and order in the area.

Five local people also took themselves to hospital for treatment to minor injuries.

Some residents say tension between local Afghan immigrants and Pakistan Muslims has been heightened over recent months.