An eyewitness has spoken of his terror after seeing a large number of masked youths on electric bicycles and motorbikes in Castlefield.
At around 9.40pm on Tuesday (August 24) the man had left his local pub with his husband when over thirty youths on bikes turned the corner.
In footage shared with the Manchester Evening News , the masked riders are seen beeping their horns as they slowly drove down Liverpool Road, near to the Oxnoble pub.
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Witness AJ Jackson said he 'felt like cowering' after seeing the frightening sight.
He claimed he had earlier seen an unmarked police car pull over a white Uber, minutes before the 'barrage of bicycles' descended.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News , he said: “We were right in the thick of it.
“We were sat in the garden at the back of the pub and then all of a sudden we saw flashing lights.
“We left the pub and were walking home, and this black car had pulled over and a white car was in front of it.
“It looked like an unmarked police car, there were flashing lights.
“We passed it and had gone round the corner when next thing, this barrage of bicycles and motorbikes came round, they were beeping, it felt like a hundred of them.
“They were pulling wheelies in front of each other, and we were trying to dodge them and get out of the way.
“It was absolutely terrifying, I’ve never seen anything like it.
“They seemed to have some sort of contact with the white car.
“There was another Uber nearby and it set his car alarm off - he was worried about what was going on.
“It was absolute chaos.
“When you see that many bikes in the dark, all wearing masks, you just think: “where do I go”, you feel like you’re cowering and just want to get away from them.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: "Police were called at around 9.20pm yesterday (24 August 2021) to a report of antisocial behaviour around the Castlefield area of Manchester.
"Local and specialist officers attended and established that a large group of around 30 people wearing balaclavas were driving through the city on electric bikes in an antisocial and dangerous manner.
"Upon deploying to the area the group split up and made off from officers. At this time there are no reported injuries.
"Enquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made.
"Anyone with information should contact police on our website at www.gmp.police.uk or on 101 quoting incident 3260 of 24/05/21."
Alternatively, details can be passed on anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
