Shops and homes in an upmarket area of south London were protected from rioters by a human barricade as residents and workers across the capital were forced to defend themselves.

Locals in Clapham Junction, Dalston and Whitechapel took to the streets and faced down the mob on Monday night after realising that police were too over-stretched to help.

In south London, officers were nowhere to be seen as shopfronts were smashed in St John’s Road, Clapham Junction.

But the gangs of youths were prevented from carrying on their rampage south into Northcote Road, site of restaurants – specialist food stores and boutiques – by locals who guarded the top of the street from a branch of Nando’s to the Northcote pub.

A core of 20 people gathered at the junction, with up to 50 at some points, from just after 9pm until close to 11pm. . .