Masked men force car off road

A CAR was forced off the road and masked men armed with hammers smashed its windows during a robbery in Middleton yesterday morning.

At around 9.30am the 36-year-old victim was driving a blue Honda Jazz on Grimshaw Lane heading towards Middleton town centre.

As he approached the junction with Townley Street he was forced off the road by a red Renault Clio.

Four men armed with hammers then got out of the Clio and smashed the windows of the victim's car before taking a substantial amount of cash from him.

Luckily the victim was not injured in the attack and the men then drove off in the direction of Alkrington before dumping the car off Andover Avenue.

The men were described as white and wearing dark clothes.

Around 9.45am today a taxi heading towards Simister Island on the M60 pulled up on the hard shoulder and four men were seen running off towards Heaton Park.

Detective Constable Dan Daly, from GMP's Rochdale borough, said: "We are currently linking both of the incidents and are following a number of lines of enquiry.

"There were some initial reports that the taxi may have been hijacked and enquiries are ongoing in relation to that.

"This would have been extremely frightening for the victim and I would like to thank him for his courage whilst helping police.

"I would appeal to anyone who saw either incident to please get in touch with us."

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.