Stretford homes evacuated after 'grenades and guns' find

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image captionPolice have made nine arrests following a series of raids

Residents have been evacuated after suspected grenades and guns were seized during raids over two days.

Police also found suspected Class A and B drugs during the raids in Stretford and Wythenshawe in Greater Manchester.

A number of properties in the Gorse Hill area of Stretford were evacuated following searches in Milton Street and Derwent Road earlier.

Four men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of firearms offences, bringing the number of arrests to nine.

On Thursday, a 41-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm following a raid in Milton Street.

Cordon in place

Then a 43-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm after police descended in Ascot Avenue, Stretford and Firbank Road in Wythenshawe.

A 32-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released and faces no further action.

Further details of the other arrests have not been released by police.

The cordon in Gorse Hill, which remains in place as a precaution, may disrupt local rail services so people have been advised to check before they travel.

Det Ch Insp Joe Harrop thanked the residents that have been evacuated for "their co-operation and understanding".

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