MEN ARMED WITH MACHETES ARRESTED AFTER ATTEMPTED BURGLARY IN MANCHESTER

Three men have been arrested after officers from several GMP units were called to reports of a burglary at an industrial estate in Manchester.

Officers were called at about 9:50pm last night (2 February) to the Riverpark Trading Estate, Briscoe Lane, Newton Heath, to reports of a break-in at an industrial unit by men using crowbars.

On arrival, officers found a car with the keys in the ignition and men wearing balaclavas and armed with machetes, bats and an axe.

Officers from the Specialist Operations Unit and from the City of Manchester North Division were deployed to the scene.

As police tried to arrest the offenders, they first locked themselves in before fleeing the scene on foot and in a vehicle - two officers suffered minor injuries.

One offender was arrested nearby on Bamford Street while another was arrested after being pursued in a vehicle by firearms officers. A third man was arrested on the railway tracks.

Three men - aged 22, 33 and 39 - are in police custody being questioned on suspicion of aggravated burglary, section 18 assault and wounding with intent.

Chief Inspector Gareth Levitt-Jones, of GMP's City of Manchester North Division, said:

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"Officers from across several GMP branches carried out a swift and successful response to a potentially dangerous situation with two officers being injured in the process.

"As a result, we have three people in custody being questioned on suspicion of a range of offences."