The northwest English town of Oldham was calm overnight after three successive nights of race rioting between whites and Asians, police said on Wednesday.
Hundreds of police were deployed on the streets of the industrial town at the weekend when rival gangs of whites and Asians battled each other and police with stones and petrol bombs in Britain`s worst racial violence in 15 years.
Police said they had arrested a total of 50 people, two-thirds of them white and the rest Asian.
``We are hoping that the situation will ease but are prepared for any more action that might occur in the Oldham area,`` a police spokeswoman said.
The rioting, which authorities said was provoked by white extremist groups from outside the Oldham area, shocked local community leaders and the nation at large in the run-up to Britain`s June seven national election.
Bureau Report
