An estimated 10,000 Iraqi expatriates turned out in Swinton for three days of voting in the country's general election.

But residents living near the polling station off Lees Street have criticised the choice of the venue.

A heavy police presence, including officers on horseback and video surveillance, surrounded the event all weekend as jubilant voters waved flags, banged drums and danced to music in the Vanguard Mill's car park.

Queues of voters snaked around the mill as a police helicopter circled above.

Police said there were no arrests although residents reported skirmishes in surrounding streets. Scuffles between supporters of different political parties also broke out.

Salford council was criticised by residents who were only told of the polling station last Thursday, a day before ballots opened on Friday. Roads were closed and parking suspended on a number of streets.

In a letter to residents, Salford's council leader John Merry said the council had 'no statutory powers over the conduct or location of the election'. It says it wasn't consulted about the suitability of the location.

The letter added: “The city council was not consulted about the suitability of the location of the polling station by any of the parties involved in the letting agreement. The city council was first notified late last week at which time we expressed strong concerns about this extremely late choice of venue for the polling station and investigated alternative locations. Despite our best endeavours we have been informed that it is not possible to relocate at this stage.”

Residents hit out at noise and traffic problems. John Hankinson, 53, who lives on Dumbell Street, said: “We were not given that much warning that it was going to happen. We were just told to expect some more police activity in the area than there would normally be. I was not expecting anything like this.”

Roy Carey, 57, from Eaton Close, added: “People were concerned when they heard the news, especially since voting in Iraq has led to to violence. There has been some skirmishes on the streets but mostly just noise. We we not given notice soon enough and parking has been a nightmare.”

Mary Ferrer, Lib Dem councillor for Claremont, also hit out at a lack of forward planning. 

 Swinton was chosen to host one of only four voter stations in the country, with two others in London and another in Birmingham. The Salford site catered for voters spanning northern England, a potential electorate of 16,000. Polls closed at 7pm yesterday.

Marco Gambino, 23, travelled to Swinton from Middlesbrough to vote for the Kurdish Alliance, or Change, party. He said: “We just want a party to rule justly and a party that we can trust. This is a very important election for us all and there have been a lot of people here. There has been a great atmosphere and no trouble although there has been shouting between parties. People want a new era for Iraq.”

More than 20 million Iraqi voters – including an estimated 1.9m outside the country –  voted to elect 350 members of the Iraqi House of Representatives.

There are more than 6,000 candidates in total.

The High Electoral Commission for Iraq, which organised the polling station in Swinton, said areas were chosen for voters based on their Iraqi population.

Greater Manchester Police said no specific threats had been received and officers had liaised with the Independent High Election Commission for Iraq. 

Salford council said it had a duty to inform people about road closures.