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| Armed gang frees man near court | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A man in police custody escaped after three men armed with knives attacked a security van outside a court, Greater Manchester police have said. | A man in police custody escaped after three men armed with knives attacked a security van outside a court, Greater Manchester police have said. |
| The men struck outside Salford Magistrates' Court at Bexley Square on Thursday morning. | |
| The driver was punched in the face during the incident before the men escaped with the detained man. | The driver was punched in the face during the incident before the men escaped with the detained man. |
| A Greater Manchester Police spokeswoman said the investigation was its early stages and inquiries were ongoing. | |
| Driver hurt | |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said the freed man had been in police custody rather than being a serving prisoner. | |
| Police said they were alerted to reports that three men had attacked the security van just after 0750 GMT. | |
| The man, who is in his 20s, was being transferred from custody at Swinton Police Station to court following his arrest on Wednesday. | |
| He had been arrested after a warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear at a previous hearing at the court on a theft charge. | |
| The police spokeswoman said the security van driver suffered minor swelling to his head as a result of being punched. |