Shropshire was this afternoon paying the price for the recent rioting as a major shopping centre was closing early and a landmark football match was called off.

Although Shrewsbury’s shopping centres were unaffected by the trouble, today Telford Shopping Centre announced it would shut at 6pm, instead of its normal 8pm closure on a Thursday for late night shopping.

The centre said staying open “was not worth the risk”.

Chris Jones, centre director at Telford Shopping Centre said:  “The decision to close early this evening has been taken as purely a precautionary measure and is not a reaction to any specific threat to Telford.

“We are only too aware of what’s happened this week to our neighbours in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and West Bromwich and simply feel there is no justification for taking any risks at this sensitive time.

“We have a responsibility to both our customers and those who work at Telford Shopping Centre to put their safety first, and a responsibility to recognise the short term pressure on our police force.”

AFC Telford United’s first match back in the top tier of non-league football on Saturday was called off amid safety fears surrounding a march by the English Defence League.

Police chiefs contacted the club last night and asked for the game against Luton Town to be called off because they said they could not guarantee safety.

Today they revealed they had recommended Telford & Wrekin Council apply to the Home Secretary to ban the EDL march.

Nationally Prime Minister David Cameron this afternoon pledged to do “whatever it takes” to restore order to the streets after four nights of violent rioting and looting.

He told a recalled Parliament the Government was looking at introducing new sentencing powers and promised that reinforced police numbers would remain on the streets of London over the weekend.

Outlining new measures to tackle the “mindless” lawlessness which rocked areas including Wolverham-pton, West Bromwich and Birmingham, the PM warned those responsible that “will go to jail”.

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