Police were forced to use additional stop and search powers to avoid group violence in Leigh.

It comes after officers received reports there could be potential violence from a group of people in the area.

The additional stop-and-search powers - authorised under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 - allowed officers to stop and search people in specific locations without the need to have reasonable grounds to do so.

Powers also help the team identify anyone who may be carrying weapons and take them off the street.

They were put in place at 11.30pm last night (August 15) and ran until 7.30am this morning (August 16), and covered the following locations:

  • The area between the A127
  • Progress Road
  • The Fairway
  • Eastwood Road North
  • Blenheim Chase
  • Mountdale Gardens
  • Treecot Drive
  • Bridgewater Drive
  • Southbourne Grove
  • Prince Avenue
  • Nestuda Way
  • Eastwoodbury Lane
  • White House Road
  • Rayleigh Road

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Detective Inspector Scott Fitzmaurice said: “Officers are patrolling the area to deal with anyone who may be intent on committing crime. 

“The additional stop and search powers are a valuable tool to help us identify if anyone is carrying prohibited articles or offensive weapons, and helps us to disrupt criminal activity, take weapons off the streets and keep our community safe."