Police find guns haul in house

FOURTEEN guns were seized from a house after the RSPCA investigated reports of cruelty to a cat.

The haul includes shotguns and ammunition.

A 72-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a prohibited weapon.

Officers found the weapons after searching a home on Bardsley Vale Avenue, a neat cul-de-sac off Ashton Road in Bardsley, Oldham.

A warrant was executed early on Tuesday morning after an incident last month in which a cat was found trapped in a snare at a property on the same street.

Officers attended and found the animal also had an air weapon pellet in its paw.

Neighbours recalled seeing at least half a dozen officers enter the house at around 7.30am.

They continued to go in and out of the house all day recovering a number of items, according to locals.

Residents said they were surprised when police swooped on the home.

“It’s very upsetting,” one person said. “It’s a very quiet street.” It comes after mum Jodie Barratt found her daughter’s cat Violet stuck in a trap near her home.

The pet was heard ‘screaming’ at around 7am on Saturday, July 28 and was found to have one paw stuck in the metal device believed to be an illegal ‘gin-trap’.

Jodie said at the time: “The trap has broken her leg and she could possibly have to have it amputated because the trap was on her paw that long. “We couldn’t get it off.” Jodie, 33, reported the incident to police and the RSPCA.

Det Insp Claire McGuire, from GMP’s Xcalibre Task Force, added: “I understand that this incident may cause concern in the community, however, I want to reassure residents that we have a team of officers working hard on this investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference number 385 of August 7.

Reports can also be made via Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.