Information leads police to seize three firearms buried in Middleton field

Two pistols and a Glock 19 with ammunition were located wrapped in black bin bags, buried next to a tree near Hopwood Road in Middleton.

Officers – from Rochdale’s Challenger organised crime unit – had been acting on information that had been provided over the last week.

Yesterday (Tuesday 9 May) a cordon was put in place while officers, supported by GMP’s Specialist Operations, Tactical Aid Unit and Rochdale's district intelligence unit, conducted a search to unearth and recover the weapons, which will now be forensically examined.

Detective Inspector Stuart Round said: “This was an intelligence led recovery of three firearms suspected of belonging to criminal networks who are associated with serious and organised crime.

“These are dangerous weapons, often used to threaten and cause serious risk and harm to people living within our community and their recovery is a great example of how we are acting on information that is provided to us and further protecting the public that we serve.” 

If you have information, please call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or contact GMP via 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.