When a member of the public heard what sounded like gunshots coming from a nearby factory, he decided to call the police.
Armed cops rushed to the factory in Cheadle, near Manchester, only to discover that the "gunshots" were in fact the sounds of a cricket ball hitting a metal shutter. They had been using an object propped up against the shutter as the wicket.
The workers at the sports equipment factory had just watched England playing in the Cricket World Cup and decided to have a game themselves.
One of them, Mohammed Ijaz, 25, said: 'We'd been watching the England match and finished work so thought we may as well play cricket. We were just messing around and could hear shouting saying "Come out! Come out!" '.
You're all out: Armed police break up factory cricket game after ball hitting shutter is mistaken for gunshots
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th March 2011
Daily Mail
When a worried passer-by heard shots from inside a factory they understandably called the police.
But the armed officers who rushed to the scene in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, quickly realised that the only protective equipment they needed were pads and batting gloves.
The shots they had heard were of the cricketing variety and the workers who were forced to surrender were armed with nothing more than a bat and ball.
Knocked for six: Fielder Muhammed Shahzad, 27, and batsman Muhammed Ijaz, 25, were surprised when their game of cricket was interrupted by armed police. The sound of the ball hitting the shutter sounded like gunfire to a passer-by
The workers at the Power Star sports equipment factory had been watching England play in the Cricket World Cup and decided to recreate the match after finishing work.
It is thought the 'gunshot' sound was made by the ball hitting a metal shutter.
Ijaz and his colleagues were inspired to stage their own cricket match after watching an England World Cup game
Worker Mohammed Ijaz, 25, said: 'We'd been watching the England match and finished work so thought we may as well play cricket.
'We were just messing around and could hear shouting saying "Come out! Come out!".
'At first we carried on as we didn't realise it was to do with us.
'But when we realised it was, we headed outside and as soon as we opened the door we could see lots of armed police. It was a bit of a shock but they were just doing their job.'
Police say the report of gunshots at the factory on Demmings Road Industrial Estate was made by a passer-by in good faith.
Chief Superintendent Rebekah Sutcliffe said: 'All reports of gunshots are taken very seriously and because of the potential threat to people's lives we have to take swift and appropriate action to deal with these very serious risks.
'Specially-trained firearms officers are always deployed because they have the necessary skills to be able to deal with these threats safely and minimise risks to the public.
'As soon as it became apparent there was no threat, the officers quickly left the scene.'
'Come out with your hands up': Workers were playing cricket at the factory in Cheadle, Greater Manchester
dailymail.co.uk
Armed cops rushed to the factory in Cheadle, near Manchester, only to discover that the "gunshots" were in fact the sounds of a cricket ball hitting a metal shutter. They had been using an object propped up against the shutter as the wicket.
The workers at the sports equipment factory had just watched England playing in the Cricket World Cup and decided to have a game themselves.
One of them, Mohammed Ijaz, 25, said: 'We'd been watching the England match and finished work so thought we may as well play cricket. We were just messing around and could hear shouting saying "Come out! Come out!" '.
You're all out: Armed police break up factory cricket game after ball hitting shutter is mistaken for gunshots
By Daily Mail Reporter
16th March 2011
Daily Mail
When a worried passer-by heard shots from inside a factory they understandably called the police.
But the armed officers who rushed to the scene in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, quickly realised that the only protective equipment they needed were pads and batting gloves.
The shots they had heard were of the cricketing variety and the workers who were forced to surrender were armed with nothing more than a bat and ball.
Knocked for six: Fielder Muhammed Shahzad, 27, and batsman Muhammed Ijaz, 25, were surprised when their game of cricket was interrupted by armed police. The sound of the ball hitting the shutter sounded like gunfire to a passer-by
The workers at the Power Star sports equipment factory had been watching England play in the Cricket World Cup and decided to recreate the match after finishing work.
It is thought the 'gunshot' sound was made by the ball hitting a metal shutter.
Ijaz and his colleagues were inspired to stage their own cricket match after watching an England World Cup game
Worker Mohammed Ijaz, 25, said: 'We'd been watching the England match and finished work so thought we may as well play cricket.
'We were just messing around and could hear shouting saying "Come out! Come out!".
'At first we carried on as we didn't realise it was to do with us.
'But when we realised it was, we headed outside and as soon as we opened the door we could see lots of armed police. It was a bit of a shock but they were just doing their job.'
Police say the report of gunshots at the factory on Demmings Road Industrial Estate was made by a passer-by in good faith.
Chief Superintendent Rebekah Sutcliffe said: 'All reports of gunshots are taken very seriously and because of the potential threat to people's lives we have to take swift and appropriate action to deal with these very serious risks.
'Specially-trained firearms officers are always deployed because they have the necessary skills to be able to deal with these threats safely and minimise risks to the public.
'As soon as it became apparent there was no threat, the officers quickly left the scene.'
'Come out with your hands up': Workers were playing cricket at the factory in Cheadle, Greater Manchester
dailymail.co.uk