PRIME Minister David Cameron bowed to pressure last night to return from his summer holiday as growing civil unrest swept into fresh pockets of London, Leeds and Birmingham, with raging fires and further looting on a third night of violence and vandalism.

In Croydon, south London, dozens of youths were reportedly seen setting a series of fires in a major shopping area and several further stores were targeted by thieves.

Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, described the rioting in the south London suburb as “criminality, plain and simple”.

Further outbreaks of violence were reported in Hackney, Lewisham and Peckham with 300 more police officers drafted into the capital as police struggled to win control of the streets.

In Birmingham, looting was reported in the city centre and there was a heavy police presence in the Chapeltown area of Leeds following the shooting of a man.

Mr Cameron was due to return overnight from his family holiday in Italy and chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee this morning. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, will also return from his break, in North America, today.

Acting Scotland Yard Commissioner Tim Godwin last night called on parents to contact their children and urged the public to clear London’s streets.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg visited Tottenham yesterday to witness the aftermath of the violence, which broke out two days earlier after a protest against the police shooting of a local man, Mark Duggan, 29, escalated into disorder.

Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, called for calm as she accused those causing trouble of “trashing their own communities”.

Cars, homes and a string of shops were attacked, with reports of buses being attacked with wooden poles and youths shooting flares at police.

Mr Johnson appeared to admit defeat at around 5pm, announcing that he was cutting short his holiday. The Tory politician had previously insisted there was no need for him to return because of his faith in the police operation.

Deputy Mayor of London Kit Malthouse had also defended Mr Johnson’s decision to stay away.

“Should he be reacting to these criminal provocateurs in that way by coming back? I think that is kind of rewarding them,” he said.

Home Secretary Theresa May had already cut short her holiday to deal with the riots, spending the day locked in meetings with Scotland Yard officials. She warned that those responsible for the violence would be “made to face the consequences of their actions”.

Police focused on social networking website Twitter, warning users could face arrest for inciting violence.

Officers described some of the messages as “inflammatory” and said thieves had also used it to post pictures of their loot.

The Metropolitan Police has made more than 215 arrests since the unrest began on Saturday night.

The riots will add pressure to the UK Government, which is predicted to lose tens of thousands of police officers across England and Wales over the next five years because of cutbacks.

On Sunday rioting and looting had broken out in pockets across the city, including Tottenham, but also in Brixton, scene of notorious riots 20 years ago, Islington, Walthamstow and even in Oxford Circus, in the centre of the city.

David Cameron’s official spokesman said the violence was “completely unacceptable”.

“We are very clear that those responsible for that violence and looting will be made to face the consequences for their actions.”