Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has issued a public appeal for information to help find a young woman and man whose welfare they are “concerned” for.
The release of the appeal and accompanying CCTV images come after a member of the public called police in Tameside shortly after 11pm on Monday night to report that they had seen a young woman forced into the back of a small silver car by a man close to the Dog and Partridge pub on Taunton Road in Ashton-under-Lyne.
GMP explains that officers’ enquiries so far have suggested that the pair may have had an argument in the moments prior to the incident occurring.
The car was then seen driving off towards the direction of Oldham.
Detectives from Ashton CID are now “working to establish the circumstances”, GMP confirms, but said they are keen to stress that their priority is to ensure the welfare of the woman and man involved in the incident.
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CCTV footage trawls have been ongoing throughout the day, and GMP says that this extensive work will continue.
By releasing images captured from CCTV, detectives say they are hopeful that someone may be able to recognise the two people involved, or recall if they witnessed anything in the area last night, to assist with ongoing investigations.
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“Our absolute priority here is the welfare of the young woman and man involved in this incident after we received a concerning call from a member of the public about what they had seen,” explained Detective Superintendent Richard Hunt, of GMP’s Tameside district.
“We’re moving as quickly as we can to establish who the pair are and where they could be now to ensure they are safe and well.
“We know the images we’ve been able to release so far are not of ideal quality, but we do hope that there will be someone who may recognise them – either personally or who may have witnessed them last night – and is able to get in touch with us to help progress our fast-moving enquiries.”
Detectives say they are hopeful someone may recognise the two people involved / Credit: GMP
Greater Manchester Police says it is also keen to hear from anyone who may have been driving on Taunton Road and Oldham Road around the Dog and Partridge pub too, as any possible sightings or dashcam footage involving the car “could be crucial”.
Anyone with any information can call police on 0161 856 9262 or use the LiveChat facility on the GMP website quoting incident 4013 of 15/08/2022.
Details can also be anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
Emily Sergeant -
17th August 2022 
