Women wanted in connection with attacks on Metrolink

Date published: 02 December 2011

Police have released images of three women wanted in connection with two attacks on the Metrolink in the Bury area.

The first incident took place on Friday 7 October 2011, when a 16-year-old girl and her friend were on the Metrolink travelling from Bury to Radcliffe.

The three women sat opposite them began to argue with them, accusing the two girls of trying to start a fight.

The girl and her friend moved to the opposite end of the tram, but the women followed them and continued to try and pick a fight.

The 16-year-old girl was then attacked as the tram stopped at the Metrolink station at Radcliffe, when the women hit her twice round the face with a plastic water bottle. They then got off the metrolink and walked off.

The second incident occurred on Friday 21 October 2011, when a 62-year-old woman was travelling on a busy tram between Whitefield and Besses o'th Barn. The same three women were sat on the tram with a boy, who was estimated to be around 16 years old.

As the group got up to get off the Metrolink, the boy lit a cigarette and was challenged by the 62-year-old woman for doing so, as he was still on the tram.

One of the women grabbed the victim by the hair and dragged her to the floor. They then kicked the woman a number of times in her head and body. The tram then stopped at the Besses o'th Barn station, where the three women got off.

The victim sustained several bruises as a result of this attack.

Two of the women are white and described as around 16 or 17 years old. The third woman is mixed race and described as being around 17 years old with lots of black curly hair.

Detective Constable David Thorpe from Bury CID said: "These three offenders have victimised these two women for no apparent reason, carrying out cowardly attacks on them.

"I am sure that someone will recognise them from the images we have released, If so, I would ask you to please get in touch, so we can stop these bullies from targeting anyone else."

Anyone with information is asked to call Bury CID directly on 0161 856 8248 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.