Barking on fire after looters raid town centre

Barking was aflame last night as looters clashed with police in the town centre.

The Westbury Arms pub on Ripple Road was set alight and all that remains now is a shell of the building.

Looters smashed the windows of JD Sports, ransacking the shop on Ripple Road.

The thieves also damaged Vicarage Field shopping centre.

Many businesses shut their doors before 5pm yesterday as the rioting and looting spread across the capital.