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| Salford prison van ambush: Two men escape | Salford prison van ambush: Two men escape |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Two men escaped from a prison van after armed men wearing balaclavas ambushed the vehicle in Salford. | |
| Witnesses reported seeing a car ram the side of the van and men with axes leaving the van with its windows smashed on Regent Road shortly after 09:00 BST. | |
| One man was seen without a helmet on the back of a motorbike as it sped off. | |
| The escaped prisoners are Ryan MacDonald, aged 20, from Salford and Stevie McMullen, 31, from Salford. | The escaped prisoners are Ryan MacDonald, aged 20, from Salford and Stevie McMullen, 31, from Salford. |
| MacDonald was on his way to court for sentencing for robbery. | MacDonald was on his way to court for sentencing for robbery. |
| Mr McMullen is facing charges of kidnapping, arson, robbery and possession of a firearm. | Mr McMullen is facing charges of kidnapping, arson, robbery and possession of a firearm. |
| Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan of Greater Manchester Police urged anyone who saw them to call 999. | |
| "I don't think they pose a risk unless approached, so it's really important that if anyone sees them they contact us straight away," he said. | |
| 'Wielding axes' | |
| A man and woman have been arrested in Ordsall, Salford, in connection with the escape. | A man and woman have been arrested in Ordsall, Salford, in connection with the escape. |
| The prisoners were being taken from HMP Altcourse in Fazakerley, Merseyside, to Manchester Crown Court. | The prisoners were being taken from HMP Altcourse in Fazakerley, Merseyside, to Manchester Crown Court. |
| One eyewitness said he was walking down Regent Road when he saw three masked men in a dark green car drive across the carriageway into the side of the prison van. | One eyewitness said he was walking down Regent Road when he saw three masked men in a dark green car drive across the carriageway into the side of the prison van. |
| "I called the police and then I could just hear the smashing, the screams, everything that was happening," he said. | "I called the police and then I could just hear the smashing, the screams, everything that was happening," he said. |
| "I looked back because I could hear some more shouts and there were some men running towards me so I sprinted as fast as I could into the estate." | "I looked back because I could hear some more shouts and there were some men running towards me so I sprinted as fast as I could into the estate." |
| A second witness said he saw two men wielding axes and another "appeared to be holding a shotgun". | A second witness said he saw two men wielding axes and another "appeared to be holding a shotgun". |
| He added: "They sprinted up Regent Road away from the city where they met with another group of men with motorcycles near the Salford Lads Club." | He added: "They sprinted up Regent Road away from the city where they met with another group of men with motorcycles near the Salford Lads Club." |
| Police forensics officers are at the scene and a search for clues is being carried out. | Police forensics officers are at the scene and a search for clues is being carried out. |
| There was a similar attack on a prison van in July 2011 in the same area. | There was a similar attack on a prison van in July 2011 in the same area. |