POLICE are trying to restore calm to Ludgershall after two rival websites – which had traded potentially defamatory insults over the Internet – were forced to close amid flaring tempers.

The first site, called Ludgershall Bullies, had accused 16 people in the small Wiltshire town of being bullies, and had urged people to avoid them.

The site included a sound recording of two people allegedly goading a younger child to carry out a “happy slapping” attack.

Most of the people listed and pictured were children, although adults were also mentioned.

One juvenile was even accused of being a supporter of Adolf Hitler.

The rival site, Ludgershall Trouble Maker, featured mostly parents of those named on the original bully website and included a comments section where people were able to express their views about the author of the first site.

While comments posted on both sites could have been seen as defamatory – a civil matter – police decided to close down the sites because of the risk of harassment and public order offences.

“If police request that a site be taken off, then the service provider normally takes our advice if it is causing anxiety,” said Insp Martyn Sweett, of Amesbury police.

“As far as we are concerned the sites are closed and we would like to try to calm things down. There is an ongoing police investigation.”

One woman contacted the Andover Advertiser to say that the matter had resulted in her son being too scared to go out and play in case he saw any of the alleged bullies.

Police say a man was arrested and questioned in connection with creating the first website, but was released without charge.