RIOTS have spread across England from London, forcing the Prime Minister to return early from his holiday to deal with the escalating crisis.

Scenes of widespread looting, violence and arson were seen not only in the capital, where riots began on Saturday night, but in other major cities. The worst rioting in decades led to the arrest of hundreds of people, as streets were turned into war zones.

David Cameron flew back to Britain to chair the Government's emergency committee Cobra and meet police chiefs, having been on a family holiday to Tuscany.

Home Secretary Theresa May condemned "sheer criminality" as police and emergency services were overwhelmed by a third consecutive night of trouble, with riots starting in London in the daylight hours on Monday.

Scotland Yard was forced to use armoured police vehicles to push back more than 150 people in Clapham Junction, south London, last night as the disorder hit shops and businesses. The force said it would use the tactic elsewhere if needed. Commander Christine Jones said events were "simply inexcusable".

Yobs took to the streets of Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool throughout the night in copycat attacks. West Midlands Police arrested about 100 people in Birmingham after youths went on the rampage in the city centre's retail area, near the Bullring shopping mall. Meanwhile, cars were set alight in Liverpool, and police officers were pelted with makeshift weapons including golf clubs as they tried to contain the gangs. In Bristol, residents were urged to avoid the city centre by Avon and Somerset Police after 150 rioters hit the streets.

London bore the brunt of the violence however, with more than 1,700 extra officers deployed to all corners of the capital. The "opportunistic" attacks saw major fires set in Hackney and Peckham. A man in Croydon was also injured in a shooting.

Scotland Yard said 334 people had been arrested, 69 charged and two cautioned across the capital, as police officers from neighbouring forces were drafted in to help tackle the riots.

Mrs May said: "I think this is about sheer criminality. That is what we have seen on the streets. The violence we've seen, the looting we've seen, the thuggery we've seen - this is sheer criminality, and let's make no bones about it."

Consecutive days of violence came after a peaceful protest in Tottenham on Saturday, which followed the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan, 29, on Thursday. An inquest into Mr Duggan's death is due to open this morning at High Barnet Coroner's Court.