Police hunt 'gun-wielding' girls

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Police are looking for two teenage girls who were caught on CCTV brandishing what looked like handguns in Manchester city centre.

The pair were sitting on the pavement in Dale Street when they pulled the handguns out of a plastic bag.

After waving the guns - believed to be replicas - at passers-by they walked off in the direction of Ancoats.

Officers went to the scene but could not find the pair and are now appealing for help in tracing them.

Police have CCTV footage of the incident which happened at about 2000 BST on 13 August, and are hoping someone recognises the girls.

It is a criminal offence to possess imitation firearms in a public place Supt Mark Burtonwood

They are both described as white and aged between 16 and 18. One had long black hair and was wearing a red dress with a black belt and white trousers.

The other had long brown hair in a pony tail and was wearing a black vest-type top with a logo on it.

Supt Mark Burtonwood said: "This is reckless behaviour by two young people who clearly didn't care that people saw them waving what appear to be firearms around in public.

"In this type of situation armed officers could be deployed in which case, it wouldn't matter whether the gun was real or a replica.

"It is very difficult, even to the trained eye, to decide whether the gun is real of not and an armed officer only has a split second to make that decision.

"It is a criminal offence to possess imitation firearms in a public place."