A PUB in Radcliffe has been shut down temporarily after a large-scale fight which was deemed to put members of the public at “serious risk of injury”.

Police applied for the Lord Raglan pub, in Water Street, to have its licence suspended for 28 days after the incident on Saturday May 2.

An order, forcing the pub to close, was granted after a meeting by Bury Council’s licensing panel last Friday.

A notice issued by the council and posted in the pub’s window said that the reason for the suspension is that “in the opinion of a senior police officer, the premises are associated with serious crime or serious disorder or both.”

Nearby residents reported seeing a large number of police vehicles converging on the pub in the early hours of Saturday May 2 and visible blood stains in the street.

A Bury Council spokesman said: “The police have formally requested that the council carry out a review of the premises licence of the Lord Raglan following an incident in the pub on May 2.

“The council’s licensing hearings panel met to consider whether interim steps were necessary pending the review.

“After hearing representations, the panel was satisfied that an incident took place that was so serious that not only were members of the public injured but that others were put at serious risk of injury.

“The panel unanimously resolved to suspend the premises licence with immediate effect in order to promote the objectives of the Licensing Act, in this particular case, the prevention of crime and disorder and of public safety.”

The owner of a nearby business, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I saw all of the police here on the Saturday, and I had to go out and ask them to move because they were blocking the road up.

“All we know is that there was a very serious incident there and we can see the areas where the blood has been covered up with sand in the street.”

Other neighbours reported that they had not experienced any trouble out of the ordinary connected with the pub prior to the incident.

One resident said: “I have never had any kind of problem with the pub before, but obviously something very serious has gone on there for them to have their licence suspended.

“I work late a lot of the time and I often see drunk people around there when I’m coming home, but that’s nothing unusual for a pub.”