WITNESSES who filmed a mass brawl that left three men with stab wounds and two others in hospital could have information vital to police investigations.
Weapons including an axe, a knife and a hammer were recovered from the scene of the dramatic incident in Walmersley Road shortly after 10pm on Friday night, where 10 men were reported to be fighting in the street following a car chase.
Officers believe that several witnesses videoed the fight on their mobile phones and are urging those people to come forward.
On arrival, police came across a number of injured people, including one 23-year-old man who was taken to hospital having sustained potentially life-threatening stab wounds. He is now in a stable condition.
Four other men were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries sustained during the incident, and have subsequently been discharged.
Five men, aged 32, 22, 24, 24 and 23, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and bailed until April 14 pending further enquiries.
Another 24-year-old man handed himself in at Bury Police station on Sunday and has also been bailed, having been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.
A police spokesman said: "We believe that a number of people may have filmed this incident and we would urge them to come forward and speak to us. Any information they provide will be treated in the strictest confidence."
Detectives want to speak to two specific witnesses who were known to be in the area at the time, the first being a woman who was driving an A-Class Mercedes which was blocked into Chesham Road by the brawl.
The second witness is a man who was driving a white Transit van up Walmersley Road towards Ramsbottom, who stopped by the incident while it was in progress.
Police are also still attempting to trace a dark-coloured BMW 5 Series, with the registration number MD06 EFY, which arrived on the scene shortly before officers did and drove off with two Asian men and two white men who had been the occupants of a blue VW Bora, which had been involved in the chase.
It is now thought that the five occupants of the blue VW were chased by a white Hyundai and silver Seat Leon along Talbot Grove, onto Mosley Avenue and then onto Milner Avenue near to the Lido, before finally driving on to Walmersley Road via Royal Avenue.
Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden said: “We are now making excellent progress in this investigation, thanks to the help we have received from the members of the public who have come forward with information.
“It appears the VW Bora was chased for a short period by a silver Seat Leon and a white Hyundai and a fight broke out between the occupants of the vehicles on the street.
“All three of those vehicles have now been recovered, but we are still hunting for the BMW.
“We already have a number of witnesses assisting with our investigation and I would like to thank everyone who has come forward, but we are particularly interested in speaking with the woman driving the A-Class Mercedes and the man in the white Transit van.
“Similarly, any taxi drivers who were in the area at the time could be vital to the investigation, so please call us.
“Any piece of information could be useful, so I would ask that if you were in the area at the time, that you tell police what you saw.”
Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 290116/2373 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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