UPDATE: Chainsaw 'was switched on' in Bolton race attack

10:02am Tuesday 13th May 2008

A CHAINSAW used in a horror race attack on two Asian men and a boy was switched on at the time, it has been revealed.

The disclosure came yesterday as one of the victims relived the terrifying ordeal.

The man, aged 28, was with a friend, aged 31, and his son, aged eight, when the whirring chainsaw was held just inches away from his friend's throat.

The two Asian men had brought the boy from Yorkshire to Bolton to train in Amir Khan's Gloves gym in Prince Street.

The incident happened just before 8pm last Wednesday.

Police originally said the chainsaw was not switched on during the ordeal but yesterday they confirmed that is was.

The police received a report of a girl and two men running along Haydock Street, in School Hill, with a weapon.

Minutes later, the two Asian men and the boy were confronted by the group in Prince Street.

The three attackers shouted racist abuse and then the girl held the chainsaw just inches away from the 31-year-old man's throat.

The younger Asian man, who does not want to be named, said: "I heard a noise that sounded like a motorbike and thought it was quite strange.

"Then I saw someone was running about with a chainsaw."

When the group began to shout racist and religious abuse, they put the child in their car in an attempt to drive away.

However, he said: "The girl came up to the car and started revving the chainsaw for about 20 seconds."

He then watched in horror as the girl held the chainsaw to his friend's throat.

"It was inches away from his neck and it was switched on. My friend was screaming and his kid was screaming in the back of the car.

"It was like someone putting a gun to your head - it was so frightening. He could have been killed. This should not be happening anywhere."

He said they were all still very traumatised by their ordeal.

Several witnesses reported what happened to the police and officers were able to trace the attackers' movements using CCTV footage from the area.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said they were treating the incident as racially motivated.

He said that after the two men were threatened and racially abused, the group of attackers walked away laughing.

Three men aged 26, 23, 22 and girl aged 17 were arrested on suspicion of affray in nearby Sefton Court a short time after the incident.

The 26-year-old man was released without charge. The three others were released on bail until June 5.

Olympic silver medal for Jason