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| Salford prison van ambush: Two men escape | Salford prison van ambush: Two men escape |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two men have escaped from a prison van after armed men wearing balaclavas ambushed the vehicle in Salford. | Two men have 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 GEOAmey van and men with axes leaving the van with its windows smashed on Regent Road shortly after 09:00 BST. | Witnesses reported seeing a car ram the side of the GEOAmey 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. | 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 conspiracy to commit robbery. | MacDonald was on his way to court for sentencing for conspiracy to commit robbery. |
| Mr McMullen faces charges of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit arson, possession of a firearm, and other offences. | Mr McMullen faces charges of conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit arson, possession of a firearm, and other offences. |
| The pair were being transported from HMP Altcourse in Fazakerley, Merseyside. | The pair were being transported from HMP Altcourse in Fazakerley, Merseyside. |
| A third man travelling in the van continued on to court, police said. | A third man travelling in the van continued on to court, police said. |
| 'Very shaken' | 'Very shaken' |
| Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan of Greater Manchester Police said Mr McMullen "in particular is someone we need to trace as soon as possible". | Ch Supt Kevin Mulligan of Greater Manchester Police said Mr McMullen "in particular is someone we need to trace as soon as possible". |
| He added he did not think the pair "pose a risk unless approached, so it's really important that if anyone sees them they contact us straight away". | He added he did not think the pair "pose a risk unless approached, so it's really important that if anyone sees them they contact us straight away". |
| Mr Mulligan said one of the men who helped the prisoners escape appeared to have been armed with a sawn-off shotgun, which was used to smash the windscreen of the van during the attack. | Mr Mulligan said one of the men who helped the prisoners escape appeared to have been armed with a sawn-off shotgun, which was used to smash the windscreen of the van during the attack. |
| The guards in the van were left "very shaken" but uninjured, police said. | |
| The two escapees and three accomplices escaped in a green Saab, which was abandoned a short distance away on Regent Road, near a roundabout at the end of the M602. | The two escapees and three accomplices escaped in a green Saab, which was abandoned a short distance away on Regent Road, near a roundabout at the end of the M602. |
| Three of the group then ran off into Ordsall and the other two got on to a motorcycle, later found abandoned in Thurlow Street in Weaste. | Three of the group then ran off into Ordsall and the other two got on to a motorcycle, later found abandoned in Thurlow Street in Weaste. |
| A 24-year-old man and 28-year-old woman have been arrested in Ordsall, Salford, in connection with the escape. | A 24-year-old man and 28-year-old woman have been arrested in Ordsall, Salford, in connection with the escape. |
| 'Screams' | |
| One eyewitness said he saw a dark green car drive across the carriageway into the side of the prison van. | One eyewitness said he saw 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". |
| Mr Mulligan said a "major investigation" was under way and police were "following all lines of inquiry". | Mr Mulligan said a "major investigation" was under way and police were "following all lines of inquiry". |
| "What I will promise is we will return these people to custody," he said. | "What I will promise is we will return these people to custody," he said. |
| 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. |