A takeaway could lose its premises licence after staff appeared to join a high street brawl wielding a baseball bat, broom handle and a 2ft-long knife.

The fight started 10 metres away from the The Cod Father in Ashford's Lower High Street but quickly moved towards the shop.

Staff tried to defuse the situation but when manager Sahargul Ahmadzai's car was driven into during the scuffle, workers "lost sight of their responsibilities" and began to get involved in the fight.

Mr Ahmadzai, 25, admitted wielding a baseball bat while another man was caught on CCTV leaving the chippie with a knife hidden behind his back.

In a report prepared for Ashford Borough Council's licensing sub-committee meeting, PC Alistair Pringle says the man holding the knife approached the disturbance before members of the public "appeared to convince him not to use it".

The report added: "There was a lull in the fighting until a man involved got into the driver's seat of his car which was parked on the same side of the road as the Cod Father.

"He navigated his vehicle around the bollards, across the road at a right angle and drove into the front end of the truck some of the offending group arrived in.

"The truck is seen rocking sideways as it was struck.

"In apparent retaliation, a third vehicle driven by someone involved in the fight rammed into the back of the first vehicle, causing it to smash into the rear of a parked vehicle.

"The impact was so strong that the parked car was projected across to the other side of the High Street. That car belonged to the manager of the Cod Father.

"Thankfully and surprisingly no pedestrians were injured by the vehicles.

"A female onlooker who was not involved could be seen holding her head and covering her mouth in shock."

The brawl happened at about 4.45am on Sunday, October 7 - with the report saying Cod Father staff "lost sight of their responsibilities" when the owner's car was damaged.

It added: "Further fighting took place directly outside the Cod Father.

"It was reported that a man armed with a bat, shown to be a standard sized cricket bat in the footage, was viewed using this to hit one of the males involved in the fight.

"The footage showed on at least two occasions the bat was swung in a downward clubbing motion towards the man's upper body and head.

"However the man managed to jump backwards and it is not clear if contact was made.

"The man with the cricket bat, produced it from the Cod Father, and as police officers attended the scene, he fled back into the Cod Father with the weapon.

"A man with what looked to be a broom handle also fled into the Cod Father after striking people in the street."

'The manager led by poor example after his vehicle was damaged and being aggrieved by having his vehicle damaged he brandished a baseball bat...' - licensing report

Once police officers attended, the takeaway's manager was interviewed and "accepted that his possession of the baseball bat could not have been in self-defence and as a result of this he accepted a formal caution for possessing an offensive weapon in a public place".

The report added: "At the start of the disturbance several men from the venue appear to attempt to defuse the situation by pulling people away and attempting to stand between parties involved in the altercation.

"One of them brings a bladed weapon in the public but returns without using it.

"Once the vehicle belonging to the manager was damaged, the men connected to the premises appear to lose sight of their responsibilities and commit public order offences.

"The Cod Father was not able to produce CCTV which would have been used by police to identify those persons carrying and using the cricket bat, the knife and the broom handle.

"Apart from the behaviour itself, the fact that CCTV could not be provided was an attempt to hinder the police investigation, protect their own interests, while having no regard to the licensing objectives.

"The manager led by poor example after his vehicle was damaged and being aggrieved by having his vehicle damaged he brandished a baseball bat.

"The fact that the items were so readily available during the disorder is a concern."

Due to the force's concerns regarding their ability to uphold the licensing objective of 'prevention of crime and disorder', police are recommending that the licence is revoked or at least suspended for three months.

The report drafted to advise the licence review concludes: "In the last two years, police have been notified of a total of 16 incidents at or connected to the venue including a total of 12 disturbances, two recorded assaults, an incident of 'threats' and one of theft.

"Given that the premises did not notify police themselves regarding the incident on October 7 and instead chose to involve themselves, there is a strong possibility that the crime figures only show a glimpse of the levels of 'crime and disorder' at this venue.

"Kent Police has concerns that allowing the premise to continue in its current form will put the public at risk, and undermine police efforts in bringing offenders to justice."

'If someone tried to punch you with knuckle dusters, you'd try to defend yourself...' - Sahargul Ahmadzai

The report recommends imposing 'conflict management' training on the staff, who are believed to be "failing to promote the licensing objectives of the 'prevention of crime and disorder' and 'public safety".

A decision over the premises licence will be made at an Ashford Borough Council licensing sub committee meeting on Thursday, where CCTV footage of the incident will be shown.

Mr Ahmadzai was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon.

He admitted having a baseball bat but there was no evidence to suggest it had been used to make threats or cause injuries.

He was issued with a caution and released without charge.

In the report, it says Mr Ahmadzai was asked if there was an ongoing feud between staff at the Cod Father and others involved in the fight, to which he replied "no they are good people, they are our customers".

Police asked him why staff members did not go back inside and lock the doors during the disturbance.

Mr Ahmadzai said he did tell them to do that and he went on to say "if someone tried to punch you with knuckle dusters, you'd try to defend yourself".

Mr Ahmadzai declined to comment on the licensing review when approached by KentOnline.