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A prisoner who was being taken to hospital in Greater Manchester after part of his ear was cut off has escaped. Michael O'Donnell is on the run from HMP Forest Bank in Salford after masked men held up the ambulance he was in.
They attacked it with baseball bats and bolt cutters - forcing the prison guard to release the 28-year-old in the early hours of Sunday in Agecroft Road.
Detectives appealed for information and stressed to people not to approach him.
O'Donnell, who was convicted of a robbery plot at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, was awaiting sentencing when he escaped.
Shortly after 0130 BST on Sunday he told staff at the prison he had sustained an injury in his cell.
Police said part of his left ear was cut off, but there was no suggestion he had been attacked.
He was being taken to Hope Hospital by ambulance when a stolen BMW pulled in front of it - forcing it to stop before masked men attacked the vehicle.
'Understandably frightened'
The BMW, which had been stolen in a burglary on 30 April in Levenshulme, was later found abandoned near to Lumbs Lane less than an hour later.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: "Officers from the major incident team, who usually investigate murders, are working round the clock now following up a number of lines of inquiry to try and find Michael O'Donnell, but we need your help in finding him.
"This was a terrifying attack on an ambulance and, though nobody was physically harmed, it certainly left the people who were looking after O'Donnell at that time feeling understandably frightened.
"O'Donnell had been warned by a judge that he was facing a long prison sentence.
"He needs to be caught and put back where he belongs.
"I would warn anyone who knows of his whereabouts or who sees him not to approach him, but to call 999 immediately.
"O'Donnell could be anywhere, but he does have links to Stockport and south Manchester and may have links to the travelling community."This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.