London, Sep 21 - Veteran actress Helen Mirren says the recent London riots were "terrifying". She even compared the looting of shops and setting fire to buildings to "cannibalism".

"It was terrifying. There was a rush of crazed adrenaline and everyone... got caught up in it. We're a funny, complicated country, Britain, there's a streak of savagery and this was like cannibalism, society eating itself in a way," dailystar. co. uk quoted Mirren as saying.

The actress, who played Jane Tennison in hit TV series "Prime Suspect", says the time is right to call for more ethnic groups to be recruited in Britain's police forces to curb criminal activity, such as the riots that took place in August.

"What they need are more of them (Jane Tennison-like police officers) - black Jane Tennisons and Asian Jane Tennisons," she said. (IANS)