Drink-driver hit tree outside pub
AMAN was shot and another stabbed in incidents six hours and hundreds of metres apart in a day of violence in Skelmersdale.
Both victims were wounded and taken to hospital as heavy police presences descended onto both incidents on Sunday.
The shocking and brutal incidents are not believed to be linked but are the latest in a series of serious attacks to blight the area in recent months. Officers again implemented increased stop and search powers after the shooting and a search is now underway to find those responsible for the latest attacks.
Emergency services were first called to Eskdale, near the KH Hives shop, at around 3.30pm after a man was slashed in the leg.
The victim, in his 20s, had been standing on the street when he was approached by a group of men and chased before being stabbed. The man escaped without any serious injury but just six hours later, further violence erupted at nearby Ennerdale.
There, at around 9.30pm, police found a man with a wounded leg after being called out to reports of a gunshot noise.
The man, also in his 20s, is believed to have been blasted with a shotgun and was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. After that attack, police implemented the increased powers which allowed them to approach and search anyone for weapons without need for prior suspicion.
On Tuesday evening, Lancashire Police arrested two men on suspicion of attempted murder in relation to the shooting. The pair, a 20-year-old and 36-year-old, are both from Skelmersdale and remained in custody at the time of publication.
After the arrests, DCI Zoe Russo, of Lancashire’s Force Major Investigation Team said the investigation was still ongoing and urged anyone with information to come forward.
She said: “Perhaps you were in the area and saw all or part of what happened, or perhaps you have heard something and believe you know who may be responsible.
“Whatever information you have we would urge you to get in touch with us.
Anybody with information on the shooting is asked to call 101 quoting log number 1589 of September 6. Alternatively, charity Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.
To report information about the stabbing, use the same methods but quote log number 955 of September 6.
A SUSPECTED drinkdriver crashed his car into a tree outside a pub where staff had reportedly been harassed shortly before.
Emergency services were called to Summerwood Lane, in Halsall, shortly after 10.30pm on Wednesday, August 26 to reports of the smash.
Police were told that a man had crashed his car into a tree outside The Saracens Head pub and that he had been drinking.
Officers arrived at the scene and found that a tree had been completely uprooted and significant damage had been caused to the Land Rover.
A 34-year-old man, from Bootle, was arrested on suspicion of drinkdriving.
He has since been released under investigation.
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We were called at 10.35pm on Tuesday to reports of a one vehicle collision.
“A Land Rover had collided with a tree. We attended the scene and a man has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving.
“A 34-year-old man from Bootle has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.”
In a Facebook post, the pub claimed that staff and customers had been harassed by a man earlier in the evening.