ANTI-CUTS protesters from Huddersfield were ‘kettled’ by Manchester police after they took part in a breakaway rally.

About 30 members of Kirklees Save Our Services (SOS) crossed the Pennines on Saturday to join thousands at a joint demonstration organised by students and trade unions.

The original march from Manchester University to Platt Fields Park, about three miles south of Manchester centre, passed without incident.

But as the protesters dispersed police were caught off guard when a breakaway faction began an impromptu march into the city centre.

Shoppers watched on as hundreds of protesters ran down some of the major streets in the city with the police in pursuit.

SOS member Ian Brooke said anger had built after union leaders had refused to back direct action against cuts to education and public services.

Ringing the Examiner from the turbulent scenes in Manchester city centre, Mr Brooke said he was part of a group that had been kettled – a police method of containing crowds – on Deansgate, in the heart of the city’s busy shopping district.

He said: “A lot of people were getting impatient with the words coming out of the TUC so there was a spontaneous march of about 2,000 people back into Manchester.

“People started heckling, a lot of people are very angry.

“We don’t just want words we want action.

“We wanted to demonstrate in the centre of town rather than in the middle of nowhere.

“So a load of people just left the park to hold their own rally.

“There was a carnival atmosphere, everybody was very good natured.

“We were blocking the traffic, but most people didn’t mind.

“Then the police pushed a couple of people on to the floor, I was pushed myself.

“There’s a lot of young people that don’t have a future, there’s a lot of anger.

“People don’t want to be told what to do by the TUC or the police.

“We’re following the examples of Tunisia and Egypt.”

Following a number of skirmishes, police on foot and horseback eventually managed to contain the breakaway group on Deansgate, near the Hilton Hotel, for almost an hour.

The demonstrators were eventually allowed to leave in small groups after submitting to a search and giving their details.

Police arrested 20 members of the breakaway group, 13 for public order offences, six for breach of the peace and one for obstructing a public highway.

Two police officers were injured, one suffered a broken finger and another was bitten on his ear.

Police said the original planned march had been largely peaceful, although officers had to intervene when a group of protesters surrounded the NUS president Aaron Porter.

Mr Porter, who has been criticised by some students for speaking out publicly against the violent occupation of the Conservative Party offices at a previous march in London, was escorted to safety by police.