Islington escaped the worse of London’s disturbances overnight but there have been a number of small pockets of trouble reported.

Shops across the borough including Sainsbury’s in Liverpool Road, Islington, closed early amid fears of violence and looting, and some were even boarded up as a precaution.

Bike store Micycle in Barnsbury Street, Islington, is understood to have been targeted by youths on bikes and footage was uploaded to Twitter of the incident. Food City in Essex Road, Islington, also fell victim to attacks.

There have also been reports of a fire breaking out in Tesco in Stroud Green Road, Finsbury, but it appears that a nearby business was in fact affected and the surrounding flats evacuated.

The Vue cinema at the N1 Centre in Parkfield Way, Islington, is thought to have been evacuated for the second night in a row.

Mobs of hooded and masked youths were also spotted in Upper Street and a group of youths are thought to have attacked a van in Rotherfield Street, off Essex Road, Islington.

One eyewitness said: “We were going down Upper Street at about 10.15pm when we saw a group of about 10 guys walking along the pavement with hoods up. Then we stopped at the traffic lights just by the N1 Centre and another bigger group of young guys crossed over and started walking in the road.

“There were about 30 of them with hoods up and scarves covering their faces. It was pretty intimidating. They all seemed to be heading towards the N1 Centre.”

It is however understood that police managed to disperse the majority of trouble and the thugs instead headed to nearby Camden.

The previous night trouble included looters trying to break into Carphone Warehouse in Holloway Road, Holloway, while two police cars were vandalised, with one in Holloway Road having its windscreen smashed. A gang of up to 40 youths stormed the N1 Centre in Parkfield Street, Islington, stealing biscuits from a coffee shop.

Our reporters are currently on the scene to establish the scale of last night’s damage.

More to follow.