Violence flared when hundreds of demonstrators - believed to be supporters of the English Defence League - hurled bricks at cops and set a police van alight.

They'd earlier converged on a mosque, smashing its windows and chanting racist slogans.

It comes after false information spread online about the supposed identity of a 17-year-old arrested for stabbing three children to death at a dance class in the town.

The Cardiff-born suspect's parents are reportedly from Rwanda, a largely Christian country.

But disinformation on social media falsely named him as a supposed Muslim migrant who crossed the channel in a dinghy.

Merseyside Police said 22 of its officers were injured following the violent disorder.

They said eight sustained serious injuries including fractures, cuts, a suspected broken nose and concussion.