Fears that thousands of violent protesters would rampage through the streets of the city hosting the G8 summit have proven to be unfounded.

Police feared up to 5,000 anarchist demonstrators would riot in the streets of Derby but in reality fewer than 150 protesters turned up for what officers described as a "peaceful and party-like" atmosphere.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke invoked powers under the Public Order Act to ban demonstrations in the city hosting the summit of environmental ministers and placed a "ring of steel" around the hotel hosting the conference of the eight leading industrialised nations.

More than 1,000 officers from 23 different forces were on duty across Derby for the two-day summit, but the only arrests were 12 cyclists taking part in a "critical mass" road protest.

As part of the A£1million operation - the biggest police project in the county since the miners' strike - the protesters were shepherded to a designated protest site in the city's Market Place, some four miles from the summit centre at the Breadsall Priory Hotel.

The hundred or so demonstrators held a mock court where they charged Tony Blair and US President George Bush, along with multi-national corporations, with crimes against the environment and sentenced them to a "G8 Asbo".

The two world leaders were also subjected to a custard pie attack as part of the good-natured demonstration.

Organisers of the demonstration blamed the protest site and the Government for the lack of interest and poor turn-out. Rob Cole of the Sheffield Green Party said people saw no reason in protesting against a Government which did not listen. Mr Cole, 23, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Sheffield Hallam said: "There is the feeling at the moment that protests are not working.

Chief Inspector Richard Oldknow, of Derbyshire Police, said the demonstration had been "peaceful and party-like" and added that, apart from the dozen cyclists, there had been no other arrests either in the city centre or at Breadsall.

Mr Oldknow defended the massive police presence saying: "We had to make sure that the people of Derby would not be inconvenienced, the G8 meeting would go ahead without disruption and the protesters would have room for peaceful protest in a safe environment."