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CCTV captures schoolboy brandishing an AK-47 on a railway platform
Last updated at 07:52am on 21.09.07A schoolboy brandishes an AK-47 assault rifle on a suburban railway platform at teatime.
In pictures captured on closed circuit television, he loads the Kalashnikov, lifts it to his shoulder and aims it at a terrified construction worker.
But even though the workman's boss immediately dialled 999, a dispute between Greater Manchester Police and their colleagues in the British Transport Police left the boys free to travel to a nearby station and escape.
Ballistics experts have since examined the CCTV footage and say the weapon appears to be real.
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CCTV pictures show the teenager aim the loaded AK-47 assault rifle at workmen nearby
David Wood, a crane driver, who was working opposite the station, said he watched in horror as one teenager took the AK47 from a plastic bin liner, fitted it with a magazine and then passed it to the other boy who aimed it directly at him.
He said: : 'I was fearing for my own safety, it was very threatening. I immediately radioed my office to say they had a gun.'
Mr Wood, 25, said: 'I saw one of them take the gun out of a bag and straight away. I thought it looked like an AK47.
'I could not believe it. They were pointing the gun at the crane as if intending to shoot at the glass around my cab.'
The incident happened last Friday afternoon and was captured on camera by Mr Wood's boss, Frank Ridley, who targeted his CCTV on to the platform and captured a series of shocking images.
He called Greater Manchester Police (GMP) at 4.54pm who then contacted British Transport Police (BTP) just two minutes later.
GMP ordered plain clothes policemen to attend the station in Newton, Manchester, but as they were about to leave they discovered the boys had boarded a train bound for Hattersley, just a few of miles east of the city.
They advised transport police to stop the train and send their own officers but they refused claiming it was a matter for GMP.
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Crane driver David Wood was terrified when he was at the end of the teen's Kalashnikov
Meanwhile the two armed youths disembarked the train and wandered off into the afternoon with the deadly gun.
Eyewitness Mr Wood and his boss Mr Ridley were not interviewed by either police force about the terrifying incident.
Instead they were forced to send the photos captured by the CCTV to the nearest police station the following day.
Ballistics experts have since examined the CCTV footage and say the weapon is a Kalashnikov-style assault rifle which appears to be real.
The AK-47 was developed at the close of Second World War by Mikhail Kalashnikov and put into production in 1947.
It was designed to be a hard wearing sub-machine gun and is capable of firing 100 rounds per minute from box magazines.
It is capable of withstanding extreme conditions such as low temperatures and can even be fired after being dropped in water, mud or sand.
As a result it has, over the last 60 years, become the basic sub-machine gun of choice for criminals, terrorists, drug lords and soldiers fighting civil wars.
It has been used in conflicts in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Somalia, Rwanda, Congo and Ethiopia where they can be picked up for as little as £15 each.
Last night police defended their lack of action and appealed for information over the identity of the teenage youth.
A spokesman for GMP said: 'Based on the information we had at the time, a careful assessment was made by a senior, experienced officer as to whether an armed response vehicle should be deployed.
'As there was little information and no immediate threat to life it was decided that an armed response vehicle was not necessary. However, as a precaution, plain clothes officers were sent to further assess the situation.
'A short time after the initial call - within 15 minutes - the youth had got on a train. GMP did not receive any reports of further incidents to pass onto BTP.'
A spokesman for British Transport Police said: 'BTP are investigating. The call was initially made to GMP, who subsequently contacted BTP.
'By the time the alleged route taken by the suspect was clarified, there was insufficient time to deploy appropriate resources.'
The incident comes weeks after two teenage girls caught on CCTV brandishing replica handguns in Manchester city centre.
The two 15-year-olds, who were captured on film pointing and cocking the handguns as they swigged vodka and spat on the ground, were later arrested and cautioned.
British Transport Police yesterday confirmed they arrested a 15-year-old boy from Glossop, Derbyshire, on suspicion of possession of a firearm or imitation firearm. He is in custody helping police with inquiries.
Reader views (18)
Perhaps they could send some PCSO's down there to stand around and do nothing?
- Terry Roll, London
Hopefully, this troubled and vulnerable youth will receive counselling and mentoring. He shouldn't be spared any of the expensive state resources to assist him in his rehabilitation and hopefully can leapfrog the waiting list for social housing, too.
Yes, I am being sarcastic.
I take umbrage with GM insisting that there was "no immediate threat to life". Since when does brandishing a weapon in public been a low risk activity?
- Jowo, London
Excuses and excuses for incompetence.And how does an AK47 get in the hands of a 15 year old.
- Harry, London
Gun = 999 = (what we think) an immediate response from police. But not in this case. GMP and BTP had to haggle as to who was responsible, meanwhile, the youths are free to wander the streets.
Words fail me.
- Bill, UK
A machine gun is no threat to public safety. Thanks for clearing that one up, guys.
- R M, London, UK
These weapons and many others like them are available very cheap to buy in former Soviet States as well as Africa and the Middle East, with the increased numbers of travellers and Brits working on rotations aboard I am sure these weapons can be broken down and brought in through customs piece by piece. I work internationally and every country has different baggage checks and none are comprehensive enough to identify parts of a weapon in my opinion. I have recently visited Russia and travelled from Russia to Europe via the train to Helsinki, this European border check is far from comprehensive... very worrying indeed.
- Simon, Newcastle
Why are the police who were dealing with the incident or said they were not sacked?
- Shepp, Nottingham
Monty Python couldn't have come up with a better skit. Do you actually have to be terminally dim to join the British Police Force these days?
- Anna, Mallorca, Spain
And people wonder why us Brits are leaving the country in droves. Thank goodness I am emigrating to Australia!
- Jo, Canvey Island
What's the fuss? Two children 'playing out' drinking neat vodka, spitting, brandishing a lethal sub-machine gun ... surely the police are busy enough dealing with speeding motorists and people selling pirate DVD's etc. You can't expect them to be everywhere. 'No immediate threat to life' - priceless.
- Captain Blass, London
Nothing will happen to him so why is he 'bovvered'?
He may even get a reward for his actions knowing the state of our justice system!
- Brian, London
Yet another example of why the BTP (also known as Be There Presently within the rail industry) should be disbanded and policing of the railways handed over to local police forces.
- Railway Worker, London, UK
The GMP senior officer made a careful assesment, that is very nice to know. So if someone is being shot the police will make a careful and no doubt detail assesment of the incident before sending anyone out to investigate.
- Paul Urban, London, UK
England. The name used to mean something.
Green and pleasant lands ? Not any more.
- Nick, Zurich, Switzerland
For the first time in a long time I am at a complete and utter loss for words.
- Jay, London, UK
I just love the excuses these clowns have for not doing the job people expect them to. Yet, maybe people just expect way too much from the Police nowadays? They have targets to meet, and they'd probably already fulfilled their target for gun crime that month, so valuable resources were being used to chase other targets, examples being people wearing loud T-shirts in a built up area.
A kid wandering about the streets with a loaded machine gun is a small threat when compared to an OAP with 50 years driving experience and a duff tail-light.
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
"No immediate threat to life". So, having what appears to be a machine gun and pointing it at someone, no longer appears to be a concern.
If you drive into a cycle lane on the road, expect a policeman to call.
- Les, Essex, UK
How come I can't take a bottle of water into the UK but someone else has managed to take in an AK47?!
And if the Police think pointing an AK47 at someone means there's no immediate threat to life and there's no need to send an armed response unit, what do they think WOULD? A Rocket Launcher? Meanwhile my 4 year old has to have his boots x-rayed when he enters and leaves the country; thus law-abiding people remain so whilst criminals do as they like!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
