A taxi passenger was dragged from a cab and shot at point-blank range in a shocking attack in Manchester .

The 34-year-old victim was pulled from the vehicle by two hooded men and blasted in the leg on a quiet residential street in Collyhurst .

The brutal ambush happened on Shilford Drive at around 11.15pm on Monday.

The victim, who is understood to live close to the scene, was raced to hospital and remains in a serious condition with a broken femur.

His injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Detectives have made no comment on any possible motive for the attack, but say they are treating the shooting as a targeted incident.

They say the man had been drinking in the Bradford Inn on Bradford Road before picking up a cab at 11pm.

Caren Healey, landlady at the pub said: “He’s a regular of mine and he is a lovely lad. He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body.

“I just can’t believe it. None of us can. We’re all in shock.

“He is such a nice guy. Everyone is saying it must be a mistake. We can’t get over it.”

(Image: Vincent Cole)

Residents on the street described hearing a loud bang before seeing the street flooded with police and emergency services.

The cab driver is understood to have run to raise the alarm at the nearby Marble Arch pub on Rochdale Road.

The vehicle, a mini-bus operated by Cresta Cars, remained on the street, which was cordoned off until yesterday afternoon, whilst it was examined by forensic officers.

It was eventually towed away by a recovery truck.

One woman who lives on the street said: “I heard a loud bang but thought it must be a car back-firing or something.

“I eventually looked out of the window and the street was just full of police who had cordoned it off.

“I’ve lived here 25 years and we’ve never head so much as a burglary never mind something like this.

“No one can quite believe it.”

Det Chief Insp Jamie Daniels said: “It was an isolated incident, but as is typical after such an attack there will be extra officers on patrol in the area to offer some reassurance to the community.

(Image: Vincent Cole)

“We know that the victim was drinking in the Bradford Inn on Bradford Road that evening, and was picked up by the taxi from that pub somewhere around 11pm.

“The help of the community is crucial if we are able to discover who is responsible for such attacks.

“If anyone witnessed the incident, or perhaps saw anything suspicious in the area at the time, or was in the Bradford Inn and noticed something out of the ordinary, then please contact the police as a matter of urgency.

“Every piece of information, no matter how large or small is vital in helping us work out who is responsible for this vicious assault.”

The first offender is described as around 6ft tall and wearing dark clothing with his hood up.

The second offender is described as slightly shorter than his accomplice and also wearing dark clothing with his hood up.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 3101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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