Tempers flared and angry shouting erupted as police formed cordons in Slough High Street to keep opposing demonstrators apart this afternoon.

But the feared violent clashes never happened.

A massive police presence was in evidence all morning in the lead up to the demonstrators arriving.  Four police vans, three police cars and six mounted horses lined up outside Slough Station, where the demonstration was due to start.

An extensive police presence was also spread throughout the town.

in the end, only about 25 protesters from the Berkshire Infidels gathered at the station, complete with drum and banner. The 'Infidels' - a splinter group  formerly aligned with the English Defence League - says its aim is to fight Muslim extremism.

As its members marched they shouted 'not rascist, not violent but no longer silent'.

The march set off soon after 1pm, heading up Bath Road past the library into the High Street - with police on horseback leading.

Police had formed a cordon in the High Street to keep the equally modest number of counter 'anti-fascist' protesters - 25 in all - separate from the 'Infidels'.

Speeches from the Infidel demonstrators delivered outside the Queensmere shopping centre soon turned into angry exchanges with people in the crowd, after one demonstrator challenged them to say what they were doing about Muslim extremism.

One man in the crowd shouted: "We get along in Slough, we are fine."

As the angry exchanges grew in volume, police formed a line in front of the demonstrators to prevent any fighting breaking out.

The stand-off passed and the Berkshire Infidels headed back to the station.

The police cordon across the High Street was removed and the anti-fascist counter demonstrators who had been kept behind it - well away from the speeches and the row with the crowd - melted away too, finding the enemy gone.

By 2.30pm the High Street was back to normal.