'Like The Blitz': Riot Eyewitnesses React

Eyewitnesses have been describing the chaos that engulfed Tottenham in the wake of a protest over a police shooting.

Eight officers were injured in the outbreak of violence that saw petrol bombs hurled, shops looted and homes and businesses set alight.

But while anger persists over the fatal shooting of 29-year-old local father-of four Mark Duggan , residents have been coming to terms with the devastation wrought during the riots.

Stuart Radose, lived on Tottenham's High Road in a flat above a Carpetright store - both of which were destroyed during the violence.

"So many people have just lost everything. It's crazy," he said.

"It looks like it's the Second World War. It looks like the blitz, where we were living.

"I've got a balcony that overlooks the High Road and you could see things getting worse and worse, and there just didn't seem to be a police presence at all.

"I think we've probably spent our last night in Tottenham. We're just in shock. I don't know how this was allowed to happen.

"It's like you're looking at reports from Syria. This is Tottenham, this is where we live, this is London. It's like a war zone.

"We've lost everything. The only things that we have are the clothes on us."

Dixie Ndalla owns a number of shops in Tottenham.

"You can't even describe it, there are no words," he said.

"The amount of equipment that's gone, in one night, when people have worked so hard.
"We're talking about millions of pounds (worth of damage)."

Journalist David Akinsanya witnessed the violence unfolding but left as he began to fear for his safety.

"There were people of all ages running around, encouraging people," he said.

"They kept on running to police lines and there were only about 15 riot police there.

"People were really angry. People just do not believe what the police have reported so far about the killing of this young man."