There were reports of windows being broken

Police closed the road at the scene of the accident.

But a force spokeswoman said there was then an "altercation" between some of those present.

Part of the group, which appeared to have been swelled by football fans from Preston's game against Nottingham Forest, left the area and headed for the city centre.

Chief Superintendent Russ Weaver, of Preston police, said: "The situation in Deepdale is such that we do not have that kind of simmering tension which has characterised incidents in other areas in the north west in recent months."

There were reports of a "few broken windows" and 10 white people and two Asians were arrested.

'Worrying' incident

Rashid Khan, a trade union representative, was in a local mosque when the car collision occurred and the trouble followed.

"An Asian lad was in one of the cars and some white lads arrived on the scene.

"I have been told that some of the white lads had a hockey stick and started attacking the Asian lad. Then a few Asian lads arrived and the violence started," he said.

Mohammed Azam, a local co-ordinator for the Coalition Against Racism, said the incident was "worrying".

"In the run-up to the local elections, in which the British National Party is standing for seats in Oldham and Burnley, it is quite worrying - I hope this was a one-off incident."

Following the disturbances on Sunday one man was charged with affray, one with public order offences, one is accused of being drunk and disorderly and a fourth faces a charge of breaching the peace.

The men are due to appear before magistrates in the next few days.