Anyone arrested and taken to custody will be given a GMP Christmas card

Police have arrested 594 people, charged 173 and detained two of the most wanted men in Greater Manchester in the space of 24 hours.

Hundreds of homes were raided, with two blank-firing handguns, three cannabis farms and stolen duty-free goods worth £60,000 being recovered.

A third of the entire Greater Manchester Police (GMP) force was used in the operation.

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said he was "proud" of the force.

The majority of charges were in connection to burglary and robbery.

Bolton and north Manchester saw the most arrests, with 157 people detained between the two areas.

Sloppy microwave meal

Assistant Chief Constable Sweeney added: "Without the help of the public we would not have had anywhere near as much success.

"The operation is now over, but I expect that total to rise still further as people are processed as they come into custody suites overnight.

"The two wanted men we detained have been sought after for a number of robberies and burglaries."

As part of the operation, anyone arrested and taken into custody will be given a Christmas card, inspired by a well-known Marks and Spencer advert.

The card reads: "This is not just any Christmas dinner - this is a GMP custody suite Christmas dinner."

It warns potential criminals that instead of turkey with all the trimmings, they will face a sloppy microwave meal served in a plastic tray.

Police have also worked with the courts to ensure suspects are put through the judicial system as quickly as possible.