A FIGHT broke out in the centre of Aldeburgh despite a police operation to crack down on troublemakers during the town's carnival.

A FIGHT broke out in the centre of Aldeburgh despite a police operation to crack down on troublemakers during the town's carnival.

Officers from Suffolk police had been monitoring activity in the town throughout the evening yesterday and early hours today and had observed large groups of youths congregating in the beach area and the town centre.

Officers were monitoring the beach area where a large number of youths had congregated by about 10pm but no problems were reported.

The force received reports of groups of youths “squaring up to each other” at Slaughden Quay at about 11.30pm but no arrests were made.

There was then a report of two people confronting each other in the Cross Keys Inn but the worst of the trouble is understood to have taken place in High Street at about 1am when a fight broke out.

Two teenagers were being held in police custody today at Lowestoft after the incident. Suffolk police said a 19-year-old from Leigh-on-Sea in Essex and a 16-year-old from Leiston were arrested on suspicion of affray.

Meanwhile two 15-year-olds, one from Aledburgh and one from Saxmundham, were being held at Leiston police station after being arrested on suspicion of cannabis possession.

In total Suffolk police have arrested 12 people on suspicion of a range of offences including disorderly behaviour, assault, affray, theft from person and criminal damage.

A police spokeswoman said: “Enquiries are ongoing into a number of incidents and more arrests are expected.

“Traditionally the week in the run-up to the carnival is always busy and additional police resources have been drafted in to try to react as quickly as possible to any reports of trouble.”