Taxi driver held at knifepoint

Two taxi drivers have been attacked in separate incidents in Middleton.

At around 10pm on Thursday 21 August, a 47-year-old taxi driver picked up two men from outside an address on Morton Street, Middleton

The man drove a short distance towards Langley before the man in the back held a knife to his throat. The front seat passenger then sprayed the man in the face, probably with CS gas.

The men stole some cash from the victim before getting out of the car. The victim, who suffered minor injuries, drove off before contacting police.

At about 3am this morning, Friday 22 August, two men got into a taxi at Diamond Taxis on Rochdale Road, Middleton.

When the driver got onto Asby Close the back seat passenger sprayed the driver in the face, again the substance is believed to have been CS gas. It is thought the front seat passenger then got out of the car and walked round to the driver and demanded cash before stabbing him in the upper left arm and slashing his hand.

The men stole the keys to the taxi and a cash bag containing a small amount of cash before running off through the Langley Estate.

In both incidents the men are described as white, in their late teens or early 20s, about 5ft 8in tall and of medium build. One of the men has fair hair and the other has dark hair.

Detective Constable Gerard Fisher from the Rochdale Robbery Unit said: "Although it is likely these two incidents are linked and the offenders the same, we are not ruling anything out.

"Both drivers are honest hard working men who were going about their daily work when they were subjected to violent and terrifying ordeals.

"I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of either incident or who recognises the descriptions of the offenders calls the police."

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Robbery Unit on 0161 856 4052 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.