Policeman shot dead during training

A policeman was shot dead yesterday during a firearms training exercise at a disused warehouse in Manchester, police said.

The police constable suffered serious chest injuries and later died in hospital.

Greater Manchester Police's Acting Chief Constable Dave Whatton said an investigation had begun into the events surrounding the shooting.

"I can't go into the circumstances of how the officer was killed. But what I can say is that there was no risk at any stage to any members of the public," he told a news conference.

"Nobody else was hurt when the accident happened. There is now a full investigation taking place."

The officer was married and served with the Manchester force as a constable. His family asked for no more personal details to be released, Acting Chief Constable Whatton added.

The incident happened in Newton Heath, an area in the north of the city, at 11.35 a.m. The victim was taken to North Manchester General Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The police chief would not say if the officer had been accidentally shot by a colleague or killed by his own weapon.