PRESTON police have denied rumours that the British National Party (BNP) started the trouble that led to 12 arrests after Preston's last match of the season against Nottingham Forest yesterday.

The disturbance started when a large group of people gathered around a minor accident between two cars in Deepdale Road, Preston, at around 5pm yesterday.

A small skirmish erupted and two people were arrested when the police intervened.

Cars were damaged and windows were broken in the Deepdale area before the trouble moved into Preston city centre and did not finish until after midnight when eight others were arrested .

Chief Superintendent Russ Weaver, speaking on Monday, branded stories of 20 or 30 BNP supporters being at the scene as "fiction" with "no basis in fact".

"Some people may hear rumours and the rumour is more damaging than the truth," he said.