Angry demonstrators hurled bricks in the centre of Oxford as an anti-Nazi protest erupted in violence last night, writes Emma Henry.

Police called in reinforcements as the five-hour protest outside the University Examination Schools descended into chaos.

Members of the Anti-Nazi League were demonstrating against a visit by right-wing Austrian Euro-MP Peter Sichrovsky, who was invited to speak by the University's European Affairs Society.

The High Street building was picketed by about 40 people carrying banners and placards. Tempers frayed at about 7pm and two bricks were thrown over the rear gates of the building into the courtyard, hitting one of the cars from Mr Sichrovsky's group.

Another demonstrator used a bicycle lock to clamp shut the gates to the courtyard. Police removed the lock with a hacksaw.

Earlier, one woman suffered a slight injury to her foot in a scuffle as the Freedom Party MEP arrived.

The three policeman overseeing the protest were boosted to more than a dozen after the scale of the demonstration became clear. They were joined by several members the university's own police force, as well as security staff from the Examination Schools.

Mr Sichrovsky was secretly taken out of the building by police at 6.30pm through an entrance leading to Oriel Square, but many of the demonstrators stayed until 8pm, convinced he was still inside.

Organisers claimed the protest had been a success.

Third-year history student Helen Salmon, a member of the Anti-Nazi League, said: "We are really happy with how it went. The numbers here proved there is opposition to the Nazis getting a platform."

In a statement, the University said it allowed the meeting to go ahead in the interests of freedom of speech and after taking advice from police.

And the European Affairs Society said it believed in free speech and defended its decision to invite Mr Sichrovsky.

The Austrian Freedom Party, formerly led by controversial right-winger Jorg Haider, has been widely condemned for playing down Nazi war atrocities.