More than 20 gang members fought a pitched battle in the town centre on Friday afternoon.

Youths from rival gangs Don’t Say Nothing and Shine My Nine fought with sticks and a knife, leaving terrified shoppers in North End fearing for their lives.

It was the second outbreak of youth violence in the town centre in three days, after brawling teenagers brandishing metal poles attacked each other near West Croydon station on February 17.

Teenagers fought in front of shoppers during the most recent incident, which broke out at about 4.30pm.

A security guard from a nearby shop said: “It was mayhem. At one point it was like a Mexican stand-off between them.

“The two gangs just started laying into each other, stabbing and slashing at each other with knives.

“Shoppers were running to get out of the way. (The youths) were like a bunch of animals.”

A police spokesman said officers were called to North End at about 4.30pm last Friday following reports of a gang of young men fighting.”

He said most had gone by the time they arrived and no arrests were made.

Police arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of carrying a weapon following the earlier fight on February 17, which kicked off at about 7.20pm at the junction of London Road and Station Road.

A 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital with a hand injury.

One witness said a crowd watched the confrontation between two groups of “het up” youths.

He said: “It was kicking off as I turned around the corner.

"There were a lot of people screaming and running towards it, and there were a few people throwing bottles.

"A couple of PCSOs I think were attempting to keep a few people apart as best they could, but were really having to get stuck in.

“Moments later six or seven police cars appeared out of nowhere.

“It held up traffic briefly but everything started moving again quite quickly.”