SIX people were injured and nine arrests made after a fight between gangs of suspected asylum seekers swept across Rochester and Gravesend last night.

The fighting started at the Canal Basin area of Gravesend at 6.36pm before moving to outside the Casino Rooms in Rochester High Street around 20 minutes later.

Both incidents are thought to be linked, although police-still interviewing the suspects with the help of interpreters-could not confirm a connection this morning.

One person is reported to have been taken to hospital with life threatening injuries after being stabbed with a sharp instrument, and five others suffered lesser wounds.

Two of the wounded were injured in Rochester and were treated by paramedics before being taken to Medway Maritime Hospital. Another four men were taken from Gravesend to the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford.

Police arrested nine people after the two street battles, and they were held overnight and remain in custody this morning.

Interpreters were needed for the suspects but their nationalities are not yet known.

The whole of Blue Boar Lane was still cordoned off this morning as police preserved the scene for forensic teams to search.

The car park opposite the Casino Rooms was also blocked off and remained empty and two police cars were at either end of Blue Boar Lane.

More than half a dozen cars in a parking area next to the garage in Corporation Street were also blocked in by police tape and a squad car was parked nearby.

Officers have not yet said what they believed caused the incident.

A police spokesman said: "One of the problems is that because some of the suspects may not speak good English, it is taking longer than normal to find out what exactly happened."