A NATIONAL review of how police tackle serious disorder is to be carried out in a bid to prevent repeats of this summer's trouble in towns like Burnley.

The review will result in a new tactical training manual designed to assist officers in dealing with urban disorder.

The plan is to help forces deal with situations seen in towns including Burnley, Oldham and Bradford earlier this year.

The review will be carried out by the Association of Chief Police Officers and will look at areas including the possibility of cross-border command and control tactics, currently used to deal with animal extremists. Police believe that small units of officers co-ordinating responses to disorder across force boundaries would offer a more effective way of tackling trouble.

The review began last week with an urban disorder workshop in Manchester.

Assistant Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police and Secretary of ACPO's Public Order Committee, Tim Hollis, said: "Tensions in the community manifested themselves this summer as disorder on the streets, so we must consider conflict management in its wider sense and establish positive links with the community."