Police manhunt after man with handgun goes on rampage in Sheffield student area

Police have launched a manhunt after a man with a handgun reportedly stormed two shops in Sheffield – one in a main student suburb.

Armed police raced to a pawnbrokers on Angel Street, on Sheffield high street, at around 4.40pm yesterday to reports of an attempted armed robbery.

Minutes later officers were called to Fulwood Road in Broomhill, a popular shopping street on many Uni of Sheffield students' daily route to campus, to a man armed with a handgun at a hairdressers.

He demanded money from the salon and fled with cash, police said.

Officers believe it was the same man in both incidents. No one was injured.

Eyewitness Henry Wood tweeted: "Armed man running around #Broomhill, #Sheffield. Police are on it!"

A South Yorkshire Police spokesperson told The Tab Sheffield: "An investigation is underway following reports of an attempted armed robbery in the city centre yesterday (Friday 3 January).

"At about 4.40pm, police were called to a pawnbrokers on Angel Street, after it was reported a man had entered the store carrying a handgun. He left empty handed and no-one was harmed.

"It is also believed that the same man committed a further offence at around 4.50pm at a hairdressers on Fulwood Road, Broomhill. On this occasion, the man got away with a small amount of cash. Again, no-one was hurt in this incident."

Anyone who saw what happened, or with any other information is asked to call 101 quoting incident numbers 536 (pawnbrokers) or 554 (Fulwood Road) of 3 January 2019 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.