Police End False Alarm Over Man in Weighted Vest in Salford

Armed police officers in Greater Manchester descended on Mandley Park in Salford on Friday morning after reports of a suspicious man wearing a padded vest, only to discover he was an individual exercising with a weighted gym vest and skipping rope.

The incident began around 11:52 a.m. when Greater Manchester Police received a call about a man acting suspiciously near Bristol Street in the Higher Broughton area. Officers, including multiple armed units, arrived swiftly at the park off Leicester Road. Eyewitness accounts and footage showed the man kneeling on the ground with his hands behind his head as officers surrounded him with firearms drawn. A police helicopter circled overhead, and the A576 Leicester Road was partially closed between Northumberland Street and Devonshire Street to manage the response.

Within minutes, police determined there was no danger. The man had been using the park's outdoor gym equipment for a workout, and his vest was standard fitness gear designed to add resistance during exercise. No arrests were made, and the man was released after officers confirmed the situation posed no threat.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson stated, "We received a...