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| Armed siege in Oldham as gunman takes woman and two children hostage 'then cuts gas pipe' | Armed siege in Oldham as gunman takes woman and two children hostage 'then cuts gas pipe' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Armed police have surrounded a house in Greater Manchester after a gunman took a woman and two children hostage. | Armed police have surrounded a house in Greater Manchester after a gunman took a woman and two children hostage. |
| Neighbouring homes have been evacuated after the man locked himself inside the house in Oldham in the early hours of Tuesday morning. | Neighbouring homes have been evacuated after the man locked himself inside the house in Oldham in the early hours of Tuesday morning. |
| Greater Manchester Police said the children were "now safely out of the address" but that the woman remained inside. | Greater Manchester Police said the children were "now safely out of the address" but that the woman remained inside. |
| Specially trained police negotiators were at the house and in talks with the gunman. | Specially trained police negotiators were at the house and in talks with the gunman. |
| Officers were called at 3.15am to reports the armed man had locked himself inside the house in Pemberton Way with the woman and children. | |
| The children, said to be aged one and six, were later allowed to leave through a downstairs window, according to the Manchester Evening News. | |
| Nearby homes were evacuated "as a precaution," police said, amid reports from neighbours that the man had "cut through a gas pipe". | Nearby homes were evacuated "as a precaution," police said, amid reports from neighbours that the man had "cut through a gas pipe". |
| Chief Superintendent Neil Evans, territorial commander for Oldham, said: "We are continuing in our efforts to bring this situation to a safe resolution and we have police negotiators at the scene currently engaging with the man inside the property. | Chief Superintendent Neil Evans, territorial commander for Oldham, said: "We are continuing in our efforts to bring this situation to a safe resolution and we have police negotiators at the scene currently engaging with the man inside the property. |
| "Our number one priority is the safety of all those involved, as well as other members of the public and as a result the decision was made to evacuate a number of nearby addresses as a precaution. | "Our number one priority is the safety of all those involved, as well as other members of the public and as a result the decision was made to evacuate a number of nearby addresses as a precaution. |
| "I would like to thank members of the public for their cooperation this morning however it is imperative that this continues as we focus all our efforts on resolving the incident. I would therefore ask that people continue to avoid the area as much as possible.” | "I would like to thank members of the public for their cooperation this morning however it is imperative that this continues as we focus all our efforts on resolving the incident. I would therefore ask that people continue to avoid the area as much as possible.” |
| The road has been cordoned off by police, with firefighters, paramedics, and staff from the National Grid also on the scene. | |
| Engineers have isolated the gas supply to between 40 and 50 nearby properties. | Engineers have isolated the gas supply to between 40 and 50 nearby properties. |
| Dozens of residents have taken refuge in a local pub after being evacuated from their homes. |