Police have beefed up patrols in an area of the city where youths hurled stones at a police car and another vehicle.

Officers arranged an emergency meeting with community leaders after two incidents involving a group of Asian youths around Duckworth Lane.

On each occasion stones are thought to have been thrown by a 15-strong group close to Toller Lane roundabout.

A police spokesman said a meeting was held with community leaders on Monday to discuss the problem. "The police held a meeting with key people within the community to discuss the incidents and formulate an action plan working with the youth services and local key people to resolve the matter," he said.

"We are mounting extra patrols and will be continuing to do so."

He said it was hoped the move would avoid a repeat of trouble which occurred last weekend.

"On Saturday evening a stone was thrown at a police vehicle and on Sunday evening we received a report of a stone having been thrown at a member of the public's car," he said.

On both occasions the missiles had come from the direction of a group of youths. Nobody was hurt during the incidents but the spokesman added patrols in the area had been stepped up to prevent a repeat of the violence.

Today Councillor Arshad Hussain (Con, Toller) said ward councillors had met with police. He described the incidents as "minor".

"These were isolated incidents and there are no particular problems on Duckworth Lane," he said. "There are always these minor incidents going on around the city and they're nothing to worry about."