As it happened: Female police officers killed in attack

Good afternoon, welcome to BBC News' live coverage after two female police officers were killed while on duty in Manchester.

Police say both officers suffered fatal injuries during a "routine operation" in Hattersley.

Dale Cregan has been arrested at a police station in connection with the officers' deaths and two previous murders.

Eyewitness window cleaner Bob Sheppard, who has cleaned windows in the Hattersley area for about 20 years, tells BBC News: "I was cleaning the windows over the road and I heard about 10 shots quite close together. I knew they were gunshots because sometimes in the field near the houses you hear clay pigeon shoots.

After about 10 seconds there was a big explosion a big bang and then a car went speeding past. I got off my ladder and in the square there was an empty police car with the sirens still flashing."

He then spoke to the neighbours who said they thought police officers had been shot.

A witness close to the scene at Abbey Gardens reported hearing 13 gunshots and an explosion.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan says it is "a tragic day for Greater Manchester Police".

He says a "long and dark shadow has been cast across Greater Manchester" and police would do everything they could to support the officers' families.

A significant manhunt was already under way for Dale Cregan, who has been arrested in connection with the officers' deaths, but there was no suggestion he would be at the scene the two officers were called to, which was understood to have been a "routine operation".

The BBC's Danny Shaw, in Hattersley, says people in the area are deeply shocked at the events.

Mr Cregan walked into Hyde police station a short time after the incident in Tameside, shortly before 11:00 BST.

In its statement, Greater Manchester Police says: "Cregan has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder in relation to the investigations into the murders of David Short and Mark Short. He has also been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a police officer."

Police have made clear that the two officers who died were unarmed.

Home Secretary Theresa May says: "This is a deeply shocking incident and a terrible reminder of the risks that police officers face every day to keep our communities safe."

While Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says: "This is a painful demonstration of how police officers put themselves in harm's way every day to protect the public."

A £50,000 reward had already been issued for information for the arrest of Dale Cregan in what was the biggest manhunt Greater Manchester Police had ever carried out. Separately, the female officers were responding to a routine 999 call and shortly afterwards shots were fired.

More reaction - this time from President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Sir Hugh Orde.

He says: "Whenever police officers and staff lose a colleague that loss is felt right across the police family. The thoughts of everyone in policing are with colleagues in Greater Manchester Police, family and friends of the two officers at this time."

An eyewitness saw a police car outside the address shortly after 10.15 BST. After that car had drawn up it seems that the two unarmed police officers inside the car went into the property, which had stood empty for some months, looked as if it was undergoing renovation with the windows covered in whitewash, whilst they were inside around a dozen shots were fired and there was an explosion.

There were gunshots fired, possibly a hand grenade as well - that appears to be the suggestion at the moment.

Those police officers did not come out of the house again, the police car was left outside with its lights flashing but empty. Emergency services and colleagues were soon here offering assistance.

We know that a short time later Dale Cregan gave himself up at a local police station.

A bomb disposal team remains at the scene, in Hattersley, Manchester.

A bit more reaction now - this time from the Police Federation of England and Wales.

Its chairman Paul McKeever says it is "devastating news".

"This tragedy makes us all stop and reflect on the very real dangers police officers face every day serving their local communities. These extremely courageous officers have sadly paid the ultimate price for their selfless actions and no words can express our regret nor comfort to their families."

The BBC's Ed Thomas says it is a very difficult day for Greater Manchester Police, and he could feel the "shock and the impact" on police there as a short press conference was held.

This is an ongoing operation, the police helicopter is overhead, the estate has been sealed off with police cars on every junction. It would appear they are looking for something, trying to seal the area.

The roads around here are gridlocked at present.

It wouldn't surprise me, considering that Dale Cregan was wanted for a grenade attack as well as a gun attack, that the bomb disposal officers are here too just in case there are other explosives in the property where he is believed to have been earlier today.

There will be news conference by Greater Manchester Police in about an hour

Police at the scene near where the officers were fatally injured

The scene around where the incident happened in Abbey Gardens remains cordoned off with a very heavy police presence.

Witnesses said the police car containing the unarmed officers had arrived at the scene at 10.15 BST

Bomb disposal officers are also at the scene, amid concerns there may be more explosives at the property.

BBC 5Live's Rowan Bridge, on the estate where the officers were killed, says the scene now is "extremely quiet". There is a police helicopter overhead and armed officers are on the estate to reassure people.

The police flag at Greater Manchester Police headquarters has been lowered to half mast.

This is arguably the blackest day in the history of the police service of England and Wales since three police officers were shot dead in west London in 1966. One of the killers, Harry Roberts, is still in jail.

It is believed to be the first time that two female officers have been killed in the same incident in the line of duty anywhere in the UK.

It provides a reminder - after the damage to the police's reputation from the Hillsborough report and the PC Simon Harwood case - of the unpredictable and dangerous nature of their work.

The shootings will inevitably spark a debate about whether police should have greater personal protection. They now routinely carry CS or pepper spray, and Tasers are also widely available.

However, it seems there is little appetite for routinely arming the police.

A Police Federation survey, conducted in 2006 of 47,000 officers found that 82 per cent were opposed to the idea.

Residents in the area are said to be deeply shocked by the morning's events.

Police have not yet given any more details about the "routine incident" in Abbey Gardens that the police officers were attending.

President of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, Derek Barnett, says: "Today once again we have seen how police officers pay the ultimate price in losing their lives to protect the public.

"Whilst we still don't know the full circumstances, this tragic situation demonstrates the uniqueness of the office of constable, a duty not to walk away from danger."

A bit more information is starting to come out about Dale Cregan, from Droylsden, in Tameside, the man who has been arrested in connection with the deaths of the two officers.

Mr Cregan was wanted for questioning over attacks involving grenades and guns that left a father and son dead.

The body of David Short, 46, was found at his house in Clayton, Manchester on 10 August after police responded to reports of gunfire.

Mr Short's son Mark, 23, was killed in May when he was shot in the neck at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden when a gunman walked in and opened fire.

The killings of two women police officers in the line of duty is believed to be unprecedented. Five Live's Rowan Bridge says it is the "blackest day" for the police in England and Wales since 1966 when armed robber Harry Roberts, and an accomplice, shot and killed three officers - Det Con David Wombwell, Sgt Christopher Head and Pc Geoffrey Fox - after the officers stopped their van in Shepherd's Bush, West London.

Details of who will be speaking at a press conference on the deaths of the two police officers have been released.

They include Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Sir Peter Fahy; the chairman of GMP Federation, Inspector Ian Hanson and chairman of GMP Authority, Councillor Paul Murphy.

The press conference is due to start at 15:30 BST.

Army bomb disposal officers have just been let through the police cordon in Ashworth Lane, Mottram.

Ian Hanson, chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Federation, tells BBC News he and his colleagues are "numb" and "absolutely horrified", adding: "It doesn't get any worse than this."

BBC 5Live's Rowan Bridge says this is believed to be the first time two women police officers have been killed on duty.

Forensic officers are searching for clues at the scene outside a house in Hattersley, Tameside, where the two female police officers were fatally injured.

says the incident has reopened the debate on whether to arm the police.

"To arm the police in England and Wales would be a huge step to take. It's always been the case that police do not carry weapons - we pride ourselves on the relatively low number of shootings. Shootings of civilians are rare and police officers even more so. I suspect the government will not want to be drawn into a knee-jerk reaction.

Some very emotive reaction from Ian Hanson, chairman of the GMP Federation, who tells BBC News: "These officers had an absolute right to go home tonight to their loved ones. Sometimes you hear people say when something like this happens that it's an occupational hazard, it goes with the territory. It doesn't. This is cold-blooded murder. This is two kids, gunned down in cold blood. Greater Manchester has lost two fine police officers today."

Some more detail coming through now on where the incident happened. Though police describe the area of the shooting as Hattersley, local residents that the BBC has spoken to with say the scene is Mottram.

Cliff Caswell, editor of PoliceOracle.com - which describes itself on its website as a provider of police news and information - says today we have seen the "tragic side of policing" - "what happens when things turn bad".

He says the gender of the officers who died does not matter because officers always go out and perform a "tremendous role" whatever the job.

President of the Police Superintendents' Association, Derek Barnett, says he is not aware of any appetite within the police for officers to be routinely armed.

A witness close to the scene at Abbey Gardens, Warren Shepperd, says he heard numerous "really loud shots" followed by a large explosion.

According to Joe Holness, founder of the National Police Memorial Day, more than 4,000 police officers have been killed in the line of duty since 1792 - which saw the first salaried constables.

No details have yet been given on the identities of the two female officers because police are still in the process of informing their families. It has also not yet been disclosed whether they were married or had children.

Ian Hanson, chairman of the GMP Federation, said it was a "heartbreaking" day for everyone involved.

The flag at the headquarters of Greater Manchester Police - where a press conference is due to start shortly - is at half-mast.

Sir Peter Fahy says Dale Cregan was in a house overnight and has either himself - or someone else has - made a call to police about a burglary. When the two officers arrived he killed the two officers.

Sir Peter Fahy pays tribute to the bravery of the officers, saying they were going about their normal duty. "Like all officers they went to a variety of incidents not knowing what they would face," he says.

He says they cannot send armed officers to the hundreds of incidents that occur in these areas every single day.

Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, at the press conference.

Sir Peter Fahy started the press conference by saying the force was devastated by the loss of the two officers: "Clearly this is one of the darkest days in the history of Greater Manchester Police, if not the police service overall, because we have lost two deeply loved valued colleagues, because they are part of our team and policing is very much a family, and because of the huge efforts that officers had been making to arrest and detain Dale Cregan. Officers in that inquiry are shattered by this outcome."

Sir Peter Fahy says colleagues of the officers were "absolutely shocked and distressed".

Sir Peter Fahy says Fiona Bone, one of the officers who died, had a great sense of humour. She was "so happy with her partner" and "was planning her wedding", he says. He says she spoke to her partner this morning about the wedding invitations.

Chairman of the GMP Federation, Inspector Ian Hanson tells the press conference: "Words almost fail me, I want to look beyond the uniform here, we have two young girls who had an absolute right to come home to their families tonight, this is cold-blooded murder.

"It's a dark day for GMP, a dark day for policing and a dark day for society."

Sir Peter said Miss Bone was a "calm, gentle woman", an "excellent bobby".

Sir Peter paid tribute to Miss Hughes, describing her as a "chatterbox" and a "great bobby" who was "always smiling".

Sir Peter Fahy says it was an act of "cold-blooded murder" - that Dale Cregan shot both officers when they were in the street outside the address where a call regarding a burglary came from.

Sir Peter Fahy says police had no intelligence that Dale Cregan may have been at the address in Mottram.

PC Fiona Bone, 32, was described as a "calm, gentle woman" and an "excellent bobby".

PC Nicola Hughes, 23, was described as a "chatterbox" and a "great bobby" who was "always smiling".

Sir Peter says officers in the area were aware of Cregan and aware of his capability. It had been a regular part of briefings to officers about that particular danger. Where intelligence warranted it we used armed officers for searches.

Sir Peter Fahy says part of the investigation will look at whether someone was harbouring Dale Cregan.

Sir Peter says the address where the officers were called to was not known to the manhunt inquiry , which had carried out 50 search warrants. There were people in the property at the time.

The BBC's Ed Thomas says the two police officers who were called to the scene had no idea of what was waiting for them.

Brian Paddick, former Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner, says the deaths are a "terrible tragedy" that will deeply affect the two officers' colleagues.

Sir Peter Fahy says the motive for the killings is "impossible to fathom" after a bogus burglary report is thought to have been made before the officers were attacked with a gun and a grenade.

It is not known whether the phone call was made by Dale Cregan or someone else, he says.

During the press conference, Sir Peter said he believed Dale Cregan had been "protected by a criminal conspiracy to harbour him", adding that the force was "fully determined" to investigate that conspiracy and bring those involved "to book".

A bomb disposal unit van belonging to the Royal Logistic Corps bomb disposal squad is inside the cordon at the scene. Tameside Coroner John Pollard also arrived at the scene and was then led towards Abbey Gardens by police.

Sir Peter also told the press conference he was not aware that Dale Cregan had contacted police at any time during their manhunt or made any threats to police officers.

But he added that police had been looking at a range of scenarios including Mr Cregan trying to kill other people as a result of the gangland feud he was involved in. And he said there was "concern" that he might target police officers.

Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe, says in a statement: "I am deeply shocked and saddened by the deaths of two officers in Manchester today in this horrific attack. It is a tragic reminder that officers face the potential for danger on a daily basis.

"My thoughts are with the families and colleagues of these brave police officers."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson says his thoughts are with the two officers' families.

"Today's incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers police officers face every day in the line of duty, doing their job, keeping the public safe. Nicola and Fiona's bravery was beyond measure. Their murders are shocking and utterly senseless," he adds.

Some dramatic images have been emerging from the scene of the attacks in Mottram, which remains cordoned off by police.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says of the two officers: "In doing their duty with great courage, to keep our communities safe, they have become victims of an appalling crime. It's a heartbreaking reminder of the bravery our police show each and every day."

Floral tributes are being left at the police cordon around the scene of the shooting. A note written on the back of a school letter said: "To the families and work colleagues of the two brave officers that laid down their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go to them."

Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, pre-empted a debate on whether police should be armed by telling the press conference he and his colleagues were "passionate" about routinely unarmed policing, says the BBC's Norman Smith.

Chairman of the GMP Federation, Inspector Ian Hanson, tells BBC News he does not think anything more could have been done to protect the two officers.

Steve Lloyd, trust manager of the Police Roll of Honour Trust, says: "It is unprecedented for two women officers to be murdered in the line of duty. This proves, if proof was ever needed, the huge debt of gratitude that the British public owe to the police men and women across the UK."

The BBC's Ed Thomas says this remains a "live" investigation. Police will want to find out where Dale Cregan - the man in police custody - has been for the past eight weeks and who was with him.

says he does not think the groundswell of political opinion would want to change policing in this country. He says he thought the political debate would be more about the circumstances of this particular incident, such as whether police had enough intelligence and whether there should have been armed response available.

PC Fiona Bone (left) and PC Nicola Hughes

A bit more on the victims and who they were from the press conference. Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Sir Peter Fahy said of PC Bone: "When she first joined the shift she was quite quiet and reserved. However she came out of her shell and had a great sense of humour, always enjoying a good laugh." He said fellow officers had given her advice this morning about how to make invites for her wedding on her computer.

Sir Peter said of PC Hughes: "Nicola enjoyed karate. She was bubbly and loved life and socialising. She was a chatterbox and was always smiling, even after a night shift when everyone else was a bit grumpy. She was a good listener and could not do enough for people. She was a lovely friend, and a great bobby."

BBC's Judith Moritz, at the scene, says residents saw an empty police car with the blue lights still on but didn't know what had happened. She says there is a real sense of distress in the community.

Police officers gathered at the scene where the two female officers were killed.

Mr Cameron goes on to say it was a "shocking reminder" of what the police do on our behalf.

Asked about whether police should be armed more regularly, he says: "There are more armed police officers, there are more armed response units, but this was supposed to be the response to a domestic burglary and that wouldn't normally require armed officers."

He adds it was an act of "shocking evil".

Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says of the debate about arming police officers: "It is never a good time to start making a decision like that, when there are emotions running high. They're the sorts of decisions that need to be made more coolly."

Unless we want to see officers armed from top to toe, events like this, tragically, will always occur but they are very, very rare.

Our correspondent adds that there is unlikely to be any "knee-jerk" reaction on the issue of protecting police on the streets.

Sir Peter Fahy says they are unsure of the exact cause of death of the two police officers until the post-mortem examination is carried out.

Jonathan Reynolds, Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde - the area local to the attacks - speaks of the "absolute sense of shock and disbelief" there, saying "people are struggling to come to terms with what has happened today".

MP Mr Reynolds says people cannot expect the police to send out armed units to every burglary. "This is just a tragedy," he adds.

Andy Hill, a senior lecturer in policing and criminal justice at De Montfort University, and a former sergeant with Thames Valley Police, says he is totally against the arming of police officers.

"It is tragic, it is unforgivable but it's, it's rare, thank goodness," he says of today's attack.

Local MP Mr Reynolds says his "heart goes out" to the victims' families.

"Every decent person in this country stands alongside them tonight, united in grief and shock. All of us across Greater Manchester have them in our prayers. They gave their lives in the service of the community they protected.

"Today shows just how dangerous that work can be, and the levels of courage and bravery it takes to do it," he says.

That concludes our live coverage of events in Tameside, Greater Manchester, for today. We will continue to update the main BBC News website story with all the latest developments, analysis and reaction.