POLICE have issued a warning to children playing with imitation guns that they could find themselves at the centre of an armed siege after two serious incidents in Whitefield.

Bury police had to arrest six teenagers over the past week after officers were alerted to the suspicious actions of youngsters.

Now police chiefs have warned specially trained officers will treat any armed threats as "real" with weapon users being ordered to lie face down on the floor and frisked, at gunpoint.

Only when or if the weapon is proven to be an imitation will officers stand down.

The warning follows a series of incidents in the Whitefield area involving youths carrying ball-bearing firing pistols which at first glance appear to be authentic guns. On Saturday (Aug 19), three teenage boys were arrested by police after they were seen entering 'Avanti, Avanti' in Bury New Road. The police rushed into the shop and arrested the trio who were interviewed in relation to a charge of conspiracy to commit robbery. A "handgun" was recovered. They were later released pending further investigations.

On Wednesday (Aug 23), three more teenage boys sparked a major armed alert when an eagle-eye shop keeper in Elms Square watched them load and then conceal a "handgun."

Greater Manchester Police's Armed Response Unit were alerted and worked with plain clothed officers to arrest the trio.

The two 15-year-olds and one 14-year-old were escorted home and given a caution about their behaviour.

Det Sgt Duncan Heywood of Bury's Operational Police Unit this week issued the warning to "gun-toting" children to prepare to accept the consequences of taking imitation firearms onto the street.

He said: "Until the weapon is identified as being an imitation pistol or rifle the matter will be treated as a real life-threatening situation. Our armed unit will be alerted and youngsters could find themselves looking down the barrel of a real pistol."