Thugs attack taxi driver

Dean Kirby


THUGS tried to choke a taxi driver with his seatbelt and ordered him to hand over his car keys.

They fled with his mobile phone and a small amount of cash after a man walked up to the vehicle and told them he had called the police.

A witness appeal has been launched and officers say they are keen to speak to the man who approached the car.

The robbery happened in Hattersley, at 8am on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old driver had picked up the two men in Gorton and they told him to take them to Hattersley for a doctor's appointment.

They became aggressive when the car pulled up in Hattersley Road East.

Det Con Steven Hatton, from Tameside CID, said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for a man who was just going about his daily job. These men showed a complete disregard for his safety and must be caught."

He added: "This incident shows the dangers taxi drivers face in their job. It is vital that any witness, or anyone with information, comes forward.

"The incident occurred opposite a bus stop during rush hour and someone must have seen something. I would also like to speak to the man that told the offenders he had called the police."