'Terrified' shoppers barricaded themselves in stores as youths rampaged through Clapham for the second time in days

Shocking images showed the feral crowds wreaking havoc on the streets of the south London neighbourhood on Tuesday.

Teenagers, many dressed in black and clad in balaclavas, were seen running on the road in large groups towards the nearby common, where fires had been allegedly started by fireworks.

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Witnesses say the unruly scenes left shoppers fearing for their safety, as many hid inside shops which had been forced to close in broad daylight.

Many took refuge from the mobs inside the McDonald’s, Marks & Spencers and a Sainsbury’s on Clapham High Street, before later being escorted out by police.

One M&S security guard said one of those barricaded inside the store was a "very scared" lady with a baby in a pram.

He told the Mail: "Police warned us there would be chaos so we prepared for it because of what happened last Saturday. There were loads of kids sprinting and shouting and police advised all the shops to close for one hour.

"Police knew roughly the time today. They said it would start at around 4pm so they were here since midday. But the chaos happened at 7pm.

"We had to lock shoppers in, at 8.15pm we let them out one by one with police and and security holding the doors shut and escorting them out. Shoppers were very scared. There was one lady with a pram and a baby. She was terrified but police escorted her to safety."

A local Waitrose also closed its doors, sticking a "police advised" closure notice onto its front door, and Boots was targeted "very badly", witnesses said.

Police confirmed two teenage girls were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

A dispersal order was put in place and the commotion eventually calmed down just after 10.30pm.

A Met spokesperson said: “Police are responding to an ongoing incident on Clapham High Street following reports of a large crowd of young people causing anti-social behaviour.

“Officers are on the scene, and a dispersal order has been put in place, meaning anyone congregating must leave the area. At this time two teenage girls have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. They have been taken to custody.

"Officers will remain in the area to offer support and respond to any concerns from local residents and businesses."

The riots brought traffic to a standstill in the area, with commuters either ducking for cover or opting to film the chaotic scenes.

Dozens of officers arrived in four vehicles, including two vans, to try and disperse the mob, but found themselves facing off against around 60 teenagers.

Many simply dashed past the officers while others shouted jibes at cops as they walked past.

Similar scenes were seen in Clapham on Saturday, when a mob of more than 100 youths ran riot in a M&S store on the High Street.

Police were forced to issue a dispersal order and two 16-year-old girls and one 15-year-old girl were arrested for shoplifting and assault.

Youngsters were seen storming through the supermarket on clips uploaded to social media, with brawls breaking out when officers attempted to control the crowd.

A Met Police spokesperson said of Saturday's mob incident: "Tackling shoplifting and anti-social behaviour continues to be a priority for the Met, and we're doing more to take action against offenders and support local businesses.

"This proactive approach saw a 44 per cent increase in arrests last year, while shoplifting across London fell by four per cent.

"At around 16:45hrs on Saturday, 28 March, police responded to reports of a group of around 100 young people causing anti-social behaviour and stealing from a number of businesses on Clapham High Street.

"Officers imposed a dispersal order and made three arrests. Three girls, two aged 16 and one 15-year-old girl, were arrested for shoplifting and assault. They have since been bailed."