A GROUP of frightened young girl dancers were pelted with missiles by drunken yobs during the Radcliffe Carnival parade

What should have been a highlight of the year for members of the Radcliffe Moriscos morris dancing troupe turned sour when at least three youngsters were injured during Saturday's (June 2) procession.

The parade turned ugly when the smiling young dancers were waving to the crowds from their decorated float, and thugs standing outside the Bridge Inn on Blackburn Street began throwing coins, plastic beer glasses, gravel and even a padlock.

"It was awful," said Mrs Laura Whittle, the troupe's organising secretary.

"People were throwing handfuls of gravel and all sorts. The girls were extremely upset. It was the little ones who were on the float, because the parade route was too far for them to walk."

Mrs Tracy Martin (33), of Lowton Street, whose eight-year-old daughter, Gemma, was struck on the side of the head by an unidentified object, branded the behaviour "disgusting". "Gemma had a big lump on her head and it was so painful she wouldn't let me comb her hair so she couldn't perform in the dancing demonstration on the Sunday."

Another casualty was nine-year-old Kayleigh Barnes of Firwood Crescent, who was hit three times again as the parade made its way past the Bridge pub.

"She was hit beneath her eye, on the back of her head and on the hand. She thinks it was coins," said her angry mother, Heather (32).

"I actually saw some of the pathetic idiots hurling things and there was no doubt about it that they were deliberately aiming to cause injury. They were throwing things over arm." A sobbing Kayleigh had to be taken off the float in the end and is afraid of ever taking part again.

"What happened is so annoying. They are only children. They were really excited, but ended up in tears."

A five-year-old girl was also hit on the neck and it is believed a 12-year-old boy who was behind the Moriscos float collecting donations suffered a blow to his eye.

And Mr Alan Bigg, of Claydon Drive, suffered a gash to his eye from a coin.

Mr Barry Graham (55) was one of those walking at the side of the float when a thrown padlock bounced off. "I picked it up. I was very shocked that someone had thrown it because it could have caused serious injury," he said.

Parade organiser Mr Simon Vevers said he feared for the future of the parade.

"I am worried that people will be too scared to take part in the future. It's sad because we have all these people helping to raise money for local charities and make it a really good day out in Radcliffe."

He said there were problems with people throwing things from outside the Royal Oak pub on Water Street too. "I think we are going to have discuss the matter with the police and see about getting more officers at the trouble spots next year."