A MAN had part of his ear bitten off in a major brawl which involved about 40 youths in a usually picturesque village.

Gangs of youths descended on Great Ayton, in North Yorkshire, and engaged in a two-and-a-half hour battle on Thursday night.

Shops and cars in the High Green area were damaged by the gangs during the fighting, which started at about 10pm.

During the fracas, a 24-year-old local man had part of his ear bitten off and had to be treated at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Police arrested a 19-year-old Cleveland man on suspicion of assault and later released him on bail.

So fierce was the fighting that four Cleveland Police officers were drafted in to help seven North Yorkshire colleagues.

Order was finally restored by the police at about 12.30am yesterday.

The police have not ruled out the theory that gangs of youths from neighbouring Cleveland went to North Yorkshire to take on the locals.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "It is believed the fighting involved youths from outside the area, but we are trying to find out exactly what happened."

Councillor June Imeson, chairwoman of Great Ayton Parish Council, condemned those involved.

"This is not nice and we don't like it," she said. "I think there must have been some sort of communication between them. Why else would all those people turn up in Great Ayton?

"Fights have happened before but, happily, not on a regular basis. It's not what you would expect."

The Bell's Store, in High Street, was open at the time of the fighting and a glass door was damaged.

Barrie Hodgson, head of profit protection for Bells Northern region, said: "Luckily, the door is of a glass which cracks, rather than breaks."

Witnesses are asked to contact police on 0845-60-60-247 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800-555-111.