Oldham siege ends after 25 hours with gunman arrested and female hostage freed

A suspected gunman has been arrested on suspicion of holding a woman hostage inside a house in Oldham for more than 25 hours.

The man, believed to be Marc Schofield, 30, is accused of holding himself inside the house on Pemberton Way in Shaw with his 27-year-old former partner Lisa Hurley and her two young children just after 3am on Tuesday (25 July).

The children, aged one and six, were soon released from the property unharmed, but the standoff with police involving Scholfield continued for nearly 24 hours.

Police eventually entered the house just before 5am on Wednesday morning (26 July) and removed Hurley. She was not hurt during the incident and no force was required to detain Schofield.

He has since been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and false imprisonment.

According to the Manchester Evening News, police were called to a "domestic incident" at the house on Pemberton Way around 1am which resulted in Schofield leaving the property. He is then accused of returning to the home two hours later to lock himself and the others inside.

During the siege, more than 40 nearby homes were evacuated and the gas supply cut off as a precaution after the suspect was believed to have cut a pipe line as part of a threat to blow up the house on Pemberton way.

Police are ensuring the surrounding area is safe before allowing residents to return to their properties.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokesperson said: "Shortly after 4.50am on Wednesday 26 July 2017‎ armed police entered a property on Pemberton Way in Shaw, Oldham, and safely resolved the hostage situation that began at 3.15am on Tuesday 25 July 2017.

"A 27-year-old woman was removed from the property without injury.

"A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill and false imprisonment. He is now in police custody for questioning. Police are now ensuring the area as safe and will shortly begin returning people to their homes.

GMP's chief superintendent John O'Hare ‎added: "We would like to thank the local community in particular those who have had to leave their homes whilst we worked to resolve this situation.

"Thankfully the hostage situation was safely resolved and the woman was brought to safety and the man arrested."