Thousands of Chileans have taken to the streets in demonstrations following the death last night of Augusto Pinochet, 91, the Chilean dictator who ruled his country with an iron fist from 1973 to 1990.

Riot police clashed with jubilant opponents of Pinochet's rule who were dancing in the centre of Santiago, resulting in 24 officers being injured and the arrest of an unspecified number of demonstrators, officials said.

As more than 5,000 people demonstrated, authorities said that they would ensure a "climate of calm" remain in the country.

In a statement, Felipe Harboe, the Interior Ministry under-secretary, said: "I would like to issue a call tonight for families to take responsibility for their youths, for their children, so that they don’t go out to demonstrate and don’t get involved in acts of violence."

The violence erupted last night when officers tried to disperse a crowd of about 1,000 people who had erected fire barricades and blocked traffic on the city’s main avenue.

Police used water cannons and tear gas to prevent demonstrators from reaching the presidential palace, while some responded by throwing stones and bottles.

Supporters of General Pinochet wept, sang the national anthem and chanted "Long Live Pinochet" outside Santiago's military hospital where he died from heart complications at 2:15pm local time.

Around 600 supporters paid their respects as the body was driven past in a gray van with blacked out windows, many waving red, white and blue Chilean flags.

General Pinochet had been taken to hospital a week ago after suffering a heart attack. He underwent an angioplasty to open up a clogged artery and had been recovering but doctors said that his condition took a sharp turn for the worse yesterday.

A Chilean government spokesman said that General Pinochet would not have a state funeral but would be buried with military honours tomorrow. His body will remain at a humble military school chapel until then. The government has authorised flags to fly at half-mast at army facilities.

The former dictator’s death ended a tumultuous chapter in the history of the South American country that began with his overthrow of Salvador Allende’s democratically elected Government in 1973.

General Pinochet’s fierce anti-communism, free-market economics and support for Britain during the Falklands war made him one of Margaret Thatcher’s favourite leaders and he was received with honours on his visits to London.