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Armed siege in Oldham as gunman takes woman and two children hostage 'then cuts gas pipe' Armed siege ends in Oldham after gunman takes woman and two children hostage
(about 20 hours later)
Armed police have surrounded a house in Greater Manchester after a gunman took a woman and two children hostage. A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and false imprisonment after a day-long hostage crisis at a house in Oldham.
Neighbouring homes have been evacuated after the man locked himself inside the house in Oldham in the early hours of Tuesday morning. More than 40 houses were evacuated in Shaw as a precaution after officers were called to reports of a man armed with a gun holding a woman and two children inside a home in the early hours of Tuesday.
Greater Manchester Police said the children were "now safely out of the address" but that the woman remained inside.  Armed police entered the house in Pemberton Way shortly after 4.50am, removing a 27-year-old woman without injury.
Specially trained police negotiators were at the house and in talks with the gunman.  Two children were safely outside the house, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said.
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. Chief Superintendent John O'Hare added: "We would like to thank the local community, in particular those who have had to leave their homes, whilst we worked to resolve this situation.
"Thankfully the hostage situation was safely resolved and the woman was brought to safety and the man arrested."
Specially trained police negotiators had been at the house and in talks with the gunman. 
Officers were called at 3.15am on Tuesday 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.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, had urged residents to avoid the area as officers worked to "bring the situation to a safe resoution".
"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. The road was cordoned off by police, with firefighters, paramedics, and staff from the National Grid also on the scene.
"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.” Engineers isolated the gas supply to between 40 and 50 nearby properties, while dozens of residents took refuge in a local pub after being evacuated from their homes.
The road has been cordoned off by police, with firefighters, paramedics, and staff from the National Grid also on the scene. Additional reporting by PA
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.