Police have arrested 45 people havein Hungary after fights broke out at a gay rights march in central Budapest, the capital.

Riot police used water canons and tear gas to prevent activists from right-wing groups attacking marchers, Eva Tafferner, a police spokeswoman, said.

At least 10 people were injured in the violence.

Hundreds of activists threw petrol bombs and bottles at the gay rights demonstrators in an attempt to break up the annual march.

Police seized petrol bombs from a group of six people waiting for demonstrators in an uninhabited flat along the route of the march.

Eggs, firecrackers and cobblestones were also thrown at the about 450 marchers and police.

A police car carrying Katalin Levai, a European parliament member and human rights activist, was attacked by anti-gay demonstrators.

A stone was slammed through the window of the car but she was unhurt.

Levai said: "This is outrageous and shameful that some 20 years after the change of regime, this is what we have ... such intolerance."

'Intolerance'

Istvan Ruzsacz, 32-year-old book editor who took part in the parade, said: "This [violence] is sad. Those people simply don't accept that gays exist and use this as an opportunity to advertise themselves."

Gabor Horn, a politician, was also attacked and a police car carrying Gabor Szetey - the first openly gay Hungarian politician - was also targeted.

Homosexuality was legalised in Eastern Europe after the collapse of communism in 1989 and Hungary legalised registered partnerships of same-sex couples last year.

A number of European countries have seen gay rights marches in recent days, with parades in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria last weekend marred by attacks.