Oldham gun: Children playing football in Waterhead Park find imitation firearm in Smyths Toys bag hidden in bushes

Children playing in a park found a gun hidden in bushes in a bag for life.

Police say that last night officers on a patrol aimed at deterring firearms were approached by two teenagers playing football on a basketball court, who said they had made the discovery while looking for their ball.

They had found a blue Smyths Toys bag for life, which they believed contained a gun. Police say that armed officers were called to the park and examined the gun, but said ti was an imitation. A police spokesman said: “While on this occasion it was fortunately not a viable firearm, these items can often be used in serious criminality to escalate violence and intimidate people.”

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The gun that was discovered in Waterhead Park in Oldham on Sunday, May 4The gun that was discovered in Waterhead Park in Oldham on Sunday, May 4
The gun that was discovered in Waterhead Park in Oldham on Sunday, May 4 | Greater Manchester Police

Police say the patrols, part of a wider project called Operation Vulcan, were brought in because of a spate of firearms reports in the area. Uniformed police are working with detectives in an Serious Organised Crime Group to target offenders.

Inspector Dan Cullum from Operation Vulcan said: ”Throughout our proactive operation so far, we’ve made over 55 arrests, and we are continuing to identify individuals who for too long have acted with impunity to ensure they are brought to justice.

“Criminals know we are in the area, and that we’re executing regular warrants to root out the crime. We know that criminals can often store illicit items in public places as a way of keeping themselves away from the overt crime, and covering their tracks, but we will always seek to use all resources available to identify who is responsible.

“I’d like to thank the community for their support so far with this, we know that news of this nature may cause alarm, but I want to reassure local residents that we will follow every line of enquiry to locate who placed this item in the park.

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“Fortunately, on this occasion it was not a viable firearm. However, if the circumstances were different, and had a child found a firearm, it could very well have had fatal consequences, so I’d like to thank those members of the public for approaching our officers this evening us as soon as they located it. We do not underestimate the gravity that organised crime has on our communities, and we are treating this recovery with the utmost severity.

“Over the coming days, you will continue to see my team in the area as they conduct further enquiries and offer reassurance. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to them.

“I’d also like to appeal to the community or anyone who has been in the area over the last few days and weeks. Have you seen any suspicious activity? Or perhaps identified an individual who has been frequenting the park with this distinctive blue bag. If so, please come forward. No matter how small the information may seem, it could be crucial to the investigation.”

The gun was found in Waterhead Park in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester Police are appealing for information about this firearm and any suspicious activity in the park - they can be reached on 101 quoting log 2653 of May 4.

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