Air ambulance lands and police surround shopping centre after incident

Witnesses reported seeing a BMW being 'followed by police'

An air ambulance landed in Ashton-under-Lyne on Monday afternoon (April 21) with police surrounding a shopping centre following an incident.

Numerous ambulances and police vehicles were seen parked along Katherine Street, a dead-end road beside the Ladysmith Shopping Centre and Arcades Shopping Centre, at around 4pm.

Witnesses reported that a car, which appeared to have been 'followed by police', then hit another parked vehicle and a bollard at the roadside.

Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE

A number of witnesses also said a person was injured after being struck and was seen being taken into the back of an ambulance.

An air ambulance helicopter was also scrambled to the scene, and was seen landing nearby, close to the Asda supermarket on Monday afternoon.

"It was outside the Costa Coffee," one person said. "The arcades were also closed. There was somebody carried away on a stretcher into an ambulance."

Another said they heard a 'big bang' at around 4pm. "While walking through we heard a big bang, we were scared and ran into the Arcade," they said.

"Police had been chasing a black car which hit a blue post. There was also a lady on the ground. I was really scared."

Terence Thornton, who had been in the car with his friends going to Superdrug, told of the moment a BMW came 'speeding' past him at a set of traffic lights, followed by police vehicles.

"Seconds before the lights went green, this BMW came beaming past me with the police behind," he said.

"We looked further down and there must have been at least 20 cops and armed police. It looked like the car had crashed into the bollard.

"I'm so glad the lights had been on red, or we could've been taken out by the high-speed pursuit."

Pictures and videos from the scene showed a number of police vehicles and ambulances in attendance with a cordon put in place on Katherine Street.

Further details have not been confirmed. Greater Manchester Police were contacted for a statement.

---

Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it.

That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News.

And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here.

You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street.

If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it.

And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@men-news.co.uk or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.