FOUR men have been released on bail today after a huge brawl in Ipswich town centre. Fighting broke out between two groups of men near the Fire and Ice nightclub and bar in Tacket Street, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

FOUR men have been released on bail today after a huge brawl in Ipswich town centre.

Fighting broke out between two groups of men near the Fire and Ice nightclub and bar in Tacket Street, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A belt and a piece of wood were used as weapons during the fracas.

So serious was the brawl, that every available police officer in the Ipswich area was called to the scene.

Councillors are this week holding urgent talks about night time violence in the town.

Four people, who police said had been in the nightclub, were arrested and were later questioned at police stations in Ipswich and Sudbury. All four have since been released on bail.

Jane Chambers, ward councillor on Ipswich Borough Council said she would raise issues about late-night drunken behaviour and noise at meeting of the council's licensing committee on Thursday.

She said: “I have had far too many complaints about this sort of behaviour and I think we need to educate young people about drinking and get the nightclubs and pubs to take a more responsible attitude towards their clientele.

“We have to keep a very serious eye on these places because the town centre is getting more populated with residents and they do not want the noise.”

Police were first called to Fire and Ice at around 3.55am.

As officers arrived, a car arrived and took several men to the nearby Cox Lane car park where fighting again broke out.

Arrests were later made for assault and violent disorder.

Sam Mouhamd was working at the Fresh Kebab house in Upper Orwell Street at the time.

He said: “It was a huge fight. I have never seen anything like it before.

“It was going on for more than half-an-hour. There were seven police cars but they couldn't handle the situation.”

The Evening Star understands that the incident was not alcohol-fuelled.

Inspector Mark Lewis, from Suffolk police, said: “The men used a belt and wood in the fight, which were clearly opportunist weapons. People were not tooled up.

“We will be looking at CCTV footage over the next few days to see what it can provide us with.”

No one from Fire and Ice was available for comment.

The violence comes just weeks after Kesgrave teenager Matthew Buckman suffered serious stab wounds to his neck in an alleyway incident in Tacket Street.

A 20-year-old man was subsequently charged with attempted murder. A second man, 25, arrested in connection with the incident has been released on bail.

Anyone with information on the fight is asked to call Suffolk Police on 01473 613500.

Did you see the brawl? Call The Evening Star newsdesk on 01473 324840 or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk