RAMPAGING schoolchildren in Southampton caused mayhem by fighting outside the Civic Centre.

Up to 50 pupils from three Southampton different schools, one of them a girls' convent school, were involved in a brawl that stunned staff at the city centre library and art gallery.

Pupils from St Anne's Convent School at Banister Park, St George Catholic Boys School in Swaythling and Bellemoor Secondary School at Shirley were involved in the mass fight in the heart of the city.

One victim was beaten with wooden sticks as he lay on the ground and at one point the fighting was so bad that security staff locked doors at the entrance to stop violence spreading inside.

It is the third time in less than two months that pupils from Bellemoor Secondary School have been involved in violence.

In other incidents a bus driver was taken to hospital after being sprayed in the eyes with an aerosol and bus passengers were pelted with stones .

Now a top-level meeting between Superintendent Allyn Thomas, head of Southampton Central division, bosses from Southampton FirstBus, and headteachers has been held in a bid to find a solution to the problem.

Former city mayor Jack Candy was one of the witnesses to the latest fight, on Tuesday, November 9 as he waited for a bus.

He said: "It's not the first time I have seen hooliganism in the area, but I was appalled by it. People at these bus stops or visiting the library should not be exposed to such unruly behaviour.''

Catherine Hargarden, head at St Anne's, said the girls involved had been "dealt with appropriately" with the full support of their parents.

She added: "Many girls who witnessed the incidents were frightened and moved away quickly."

Helen Knight, head at St George School, said: "We were able to find the names of the boys involved. They have given witness statements and these have been passed to police.

"All those involved have been told that this is now a police matter."

Nobody from Bellemoor School was available for comment last night.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.