Police have been patrolling Hartlepool maintaining the peace this evening following large-scale disorder in the town last night (July 31).

When The Northern Echo visited the centre of of last night's violence this evening normality appeared to have returned with people going about their business.

Police kept a visible presence in the area with several officers on foot on the street and neighbourhood. (Image: The Northern Echo)

Dozens of people lined the pavements,while others could be seen looking out of their windows, as officers drove up and down Murray Street in a single van.

Some youngsters were ushered away from the area by police. There were no signs of any riot police or incidents.

Cleveland Police have confirmed earlier seven men, one juvenile and one woman, aged between 14 and 54, have been arrested on suspicion of various offences following an incident which began at 6pm on Wednesday and took place between the Cenotaph and Murray Street.(Image: The Northern Echo)

Some of the suspected offences included violent disorder and the assault of an emergency worker.

And this evening they confirmed an 11-year-old had been arrested after a police car was reportedly set alight. 

Residents were left shocked by the events last night, when a well-known local butcher shop was “smashed to pieces” during clashes with police.(Image: The Northern Echo)

One resident said the events had left her “frightened,” adding there were a lot of older people living in the area and they had been left them shaken.

She said: “There’s a lot of elderly people [on this street] and it frightens them. It is shocking.

“You see the odd police coming up and down [the street], but they’re chasing off the villains. They’re not frequent.

“They certainly did their job last night. We’ve been here 52 years. Never in my whole life have I seen anything like this. There’s kiddies in the street, I just feel so sorry for them.(Image: The Northern Echo)

“The butcher must have been there about 60 years, easy, and he’s a lovely butcher. A lovely man.

“It frightens me. This is how we feel. It’s shameful, really.”

Another resident called the incident “terrible” and “disgusting,” and said they witnessed the it from their street.

She said: “We could only see it from here, when we’ve seen the aftermath on the news, especially the butchers, there’s no need for that at all.

“What can you do?”