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Man whose firefighter brother died a hero on firearms charge

1/ 5/2008

A MAN whose firefighter brother died a hero has been charged after a major investigation into the alleged supply of guns and ammunition.

Michel Maurice Metcalf, 48, of Radcliffe, is one of three men charged with firearms offences after police recovered a sawn-off shotgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in raids in Bury.

Mr Metcalf, of Calf Hey Close, who has a stall at Bury Market, was charged with possessing and supplying ammunition.

He pleaded guilty and has been bailed until July for sentencing.

His brother Paul drowned in 1999 after trying in vain to rescue a 15-year-old boy from Simon’s Lodge in Hawkshaw.

It led to changes nationally in the way firefighters carry out water rescues.

Two other men, Wayne Catterall, 24, of Swallow Drive, Bury, and Errol Lloyd Tudor, 43, of Steps Meadow, Rochdale, were also charged with possessing and supplying ammunition.

Catterall has also been charged with possessing a firearm and aiding and abetting the supply of ammunition.

All three were arrested after police raids at addresses in Swallow Drive, Bury, and Calf Hey Close, Radcliffe, and an armed strike was conducted by officers on a Fiat Punto in Ainsworth Road, Bury.

Detective Inspector Lynne Vernon, of Bury CID, said: "I would like to reassure residents in Bury that we are investigating thoroughly information we are receiving from the community.

"Thanks to this information we have been able to take dangerous weapons off the streets.

"I would appeal to anyone that has any information about gun crime in the area to come forward and speak to police as we will act on the information you give us."

Anyone with any information about gun crime can call Greater Manchester Police on: 0161 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on: 0800 555 111.