A man has been arrested on suspicion of racial harassment after allegedly verbally abusing a boy celebrating Purim in Golders Green Road.

The 27-year-old was bailed to a date later this month pending further inquiries, police said.

Barnet police have also received complaints about over-zealous Purim fundraisers.

Busy thoroughfares such as Golders Green Road were thronged with young people in fancy dress celebrating the festival and collecting money for charity. Although it was largely good-natured, there were six complaints - "two for traffic congestion, one for noise nuisance, one for damage to a motor vehicle and two in relation to people collecting money for charity". No arrests were made over the complaints.

The police spokesman reported that extra officers - working with Jewish security groups Shomrim and the Community Security Trust and ambulance service Hatzola - were deployed "to minimise any traffic disruption".