THE closing night of Leeds Carling Weekend festival was marred by violence early today as crowds torched toilet blocks and damaged property.

One of the main temporary toilet blocks at the Temple Newsam site was completely burned to the ground and fires were started in at least one other.

Skips were also set alight and electric cables which had been run overhead around the site were pulled down.

Bottles and debris were thrown at police, leaving one officer with a broken nose, and two police vehicles were damaged.

There were no reports of serious injuries, but five people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and arson.

West Yorkshire Police Inspector Mike Standeven described it as "just vandalism."

He said: "It's the same as previous years. There's been quite a few fires and one of the toilet blocks has been destroyed, but there has been no major public disturbance."

Police in riot gear were on standby at the perimeter of the large site, but did not move in, and the police helicopter remained overhead.

Inspector Standeven said there had been fewer than ten arrests for public order and criminal damage offences.

Similar incidents have affected the final night of previous festivals, and the Leeds site was only confirmed last month after the city council had denied it a licence.

Councillors had been concerned about complaints of violence, vandalism and noise at last year's event, but organisers won an appeal at the city magistrates court.

In a separate incident yesterday, a 19-year-old man from Derbyshire was found dead in his tent.

Police said the teenager was believed to have had a medical condition before attending the festival, and was understood to have been drinking during the night.

Chief Inspector Tom McSorley said there had been 51 cautions for drug offences.

Three people were charged, two with possession with intent to supply and one with possession.

Updated: 11:11 Monday, August 26, 2002