Wollerton villagers in shock over machete raids

A huge manhunt for a gang of machete-wielding burglars was under way today as shocked residents asked just how they were able to carry out two terrifying raids in a quiet Shropshire village.

One of the victims of yesterday's attacks in Wollerton, near Market Drayton is heavily pregnant, residents said today.

The gang forced their way into two homes and attacked three people before fleeing with stolen items including a Land Rover Discovery.

Click on the image to the right for more photos from Wollerton

Two of the victims – a man and a woman – needed hospital treatment for cuts and bruises while another woman was tied up as the raiders ransacked her home at 9am.

Police today said the victims were staying with friends and family while crime scene investigators and forensic experts stayed at the scene and scoured the houses for clues.

The attackers stole laptops and mobile phones before fleeing in the black Discovery, taken from one of the homes. The vehicle was found abandoned on the outskirts of the village a short time later.

Detectives have launched a major investigation and are examining whether the homes were watched before the attackers struck.

Two villagers said one of the three victims is a young woman who is heavily pregnant.

One woman, who did not wish to be named, said: "I cannot believe something like this has happened in a quiet little village. It is shocking. It sounds like it was planned which is even more worrying. I just hope the people are okay."

Another resident, who also asked not to be named, said: "It is such a beautiful and peaceful village. I can't imagine anything like this has happened in the village before. How on earth did it happen?"

Another villager added: "It's going to concern lots of people who thought we were safe here."

Karen Calder, Shropshire Council member for Hodnet and a village resident, also described the incidents as 'shocking' and added: "It's terrifying because Wollerton is such a quiet village. It's frightening especially at this time of year because people go out into their gardens and might leave their doors open or automatically open them if someone knocks.

"In Wollerton we've never heard of anything like this before and the police said it was very peculiar.

"The police said that the people taken to hospital were not seriously hurt."

Detectives said a man and woman were taken to hospital with minor injuries and cuts. Detective Inspector Pete Brophy said both homes had been ransacked and a number of items stolen.

"This is a serious incident in which violence was used," he said.

He is appealing for information from anyone who spotted suspicious activity in or around Wollerton involving three or more men.

He is also appealing to anyone who may have seen the Discovery after being abandoned at Wollerton Farm or who spotted another vehicle parked up there at some point before the attacks.

People can contact CID at Shrewsbury police station by calling 101.

By James Pugh and Tom Johannsen

See also: Leader – Violence is stretching to the countryside