Street fight after ambush

Dozens of men staged a pitched battle in a Stourbridge street today after a coach party was ambushed by thugs armed with bricks and bottles.

The street was sealed off, shops closed and residents ordered to stay in doors as police launched a major inquiry.

Two men suffered serious injuries in the brawl and one was today said to be in a critical condition in intensive care.

Violence erupted outside The Broadway pub in The Broadway, Norton, at about 3am as the coach party returned from a night out to find a gang waiting.

Police later sealed off the road between the pub and Shenstone Avenue while they carried out a painstaking investigation of the scene.

Shops including a convenience store, hairdressers and pharmacy in The Broadway were closed and residents ordered to stay in their homes while police carried out house-to-house inquiries and a fingertip search.

Bricks and bottles believed to have been used in the battle were individually labelled by a team of forensic officers.

Zoe Coward, spokeswoman for West Midlands police, urged anyone with information to come forward.

She said three men were injured and two of them, both aged 29, were taken to hospital.

One sustained what is believed to be a broken jaw and head injuries and the other man suffered serious head injuries.

She said: "The Broadway up to Shenstone Avenue is closed while police carry out house-to-house enquiries and search the scene.

No arrests have been made at this stage."

She said anyone with any information should contact Stourbridge police on 0845 1135000.

One worker from the One Stop store, who did not want to be named, said: "It's like a ghost town and very frustrating. All we've been told is we've got to stay closed."