A VETERAN British National Party activist was attacked with a hammer as the far right party were about to hold a fundraising meeting.
Tony Ward, 48, of Liverpool, was with fellow BNP members outside a pub in Leigh, Greater Manchester, on Friday night when he was attacked.
The BNP members were with a party trailer outside the Ellesmere Pub, on St Helens Road, when Mr Ward was attacked with a hammer.
Party spokesman Dave Jones said: “A group of about 25 to 40 turned up armed with various weapons, bats, knives, and attacked about half a dozen of our people.
“They had obviously gone there to disrupt the meeting and attack people.
“Poor Tony is a long-time activist and isn’t some young football thug. They turned up to attack people rather than just demonstrate peacefully.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: “I can confirm a man is in custody following a confrontation on Friday in the early evening on St Helens Road in Leigh.
“The victim sustained lacerations to the head and it does look like a hammer could have been used.”
