Manchester's Oxford Road in lockdown as police make terror arrest
POLICE stormed a bus on Manchester's Oxford Road and arrested a man on suspicion of terrorism offences as screaming passengers ran to safety.
Witness describes incident after police storm bus in Manchester
Officers wearing bullet proof vests raided the bus on the bustling city centre street and began shouting at passengers to get off.
A witness said a man was detained and police cordoned off the road.
At least a dozen emergency service vehicles were on the scene within minutes and drivers and pedestrians were stopped in their tracks.
Greater Manchester Police said: "We have arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of terror offences.
"The arrest is in connection with Monday's attack but this is a fast-paced investigation and we are keeping an open mind at this stage."
Police have cordoned off Manchester Oxford Road
Armed police stormed a bus on Manchester's Oxford Road
Supermarket worker Lauren Andrews, 21, was on the number 41 bus at the time at told the Manchester Evening News about the incident.
She said: "I was on the bus to town, going to the memorial on Albert Square, when the bus stopped outside Subway.
"Suddenly, six or seven plain-clothed police officers got on, and the man who was sat next to me stood up and told people to leave. Two were wearing bullet proof vests.
"They arrested someone at the back of the bus. They surrounded him and I didn’t see what he looked like.
"They shouted for everyone to get off the bus. They then cordoned the road off and told drivers to take a different route.
"I was really scared. With everything that’s going on, anything like this makes you think it could be a lot worse. I was quite shaken at the time."
It is not clear what the incident is related to but it comes at a time of heightened tensions after Salman Abedi killed 22 at the Manchester Arena on Monday night.