South Yorkshire police in gunman manhunt

FIREARMS officers from South Yorkshire Police are helping to  hunt down a gunman who has been on a shooting spree in Northumberland.

Raoul Moat (37), has been at large after allegedly shooting three people, one fatally, over the weekend in Tyneside.

Other forces from Cleveland, Humberside, West Yorkshire and Cumbria have all been drafted in as the search continues.

An exclusion zone was set up after a black Lexus believed to be used by him was found in Rothbury, Northumberland.

It has also been revealed that two men taken hostage by him have been found and arrested for conspiracy to murder.

Moat had just been released from Durham Prison after an 18-week sentence for assault.