Police watchdog investigating after three men seriously injured in Middleton collision following police pursuit

Rochdale Police Station

A collision in Middleton which saw three men receive serious injuries after a police chase has been referred to the independent police watchdog.

The three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, but are in a stable condition. 

The collision took place on Saturday night (2 October) after police in Castleton saw a Ford Eco Sport driving at speed at around 11.20pm. They engaged in a pursuit before the car made off.

A short while later, the Ford was located after colliding with a railing then a tree on Lodge Street, Middleton.

The three men were detained and taken to hospital with their injuries. They have since been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue.

The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in line with normal procedure.

Sergeant Matt Waggett, of GMP's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This collision happened on a Saturday night and we are hopeful that there will have been a number of witnesses in the area who saw this car prior to or during the collision and may have dashcam footage.

"If you have any information at all please do not hesitate to contact police as even the smallest piece of intelligence could be an important lead in our investigation."

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting incident number 3482 of 02/10/21.

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.