Police confident no child was abducted from Heaton Park bonfire
It follows a report of a child being taken after the firework display.
Last updated 6th Nov 2017
Police say they're now confident no child was abducted from the bonfire event at Heaton Park last night following panic on social media.
Officers were alerted at 9.15pm by security staff to a possible abduction involving a girl under the age of 10.
It prompted police to search hundreds of vehicles and speak to thousands of people leaving the park.
Officers have been working through the night to corroborate the report but the evidence available at this stage - suggests it was a false alarm.
GMP’s Superintendent Mark Kenny said: “Reports that relate to abduction are taken very seriously and extensive enquiries were conducted overnight.
“Officers acted quickly to ensure the safety of the public and this included the checks of vehicles at the park.
“I am positive the report made to us was in good faith however, we have not received a report of a missing child that matches the information reported to us.
“We continue to investigate the circumstances so we can be sure of exactly what has happened and I encourage anyone to speak to us about any concerns that they have.”
Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and anyone with any concerns is encouraged to contact police.
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 2512 of 05/11/17 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111