Hunt for gunman after man in his 40s is shot in quiet suburban street - as neighbours tell of shock

Published: 20:15, 16 May 2026 | Updated: 20:15, 16 May 2026 Police are hunting a gunman after a 'lovely' man was shot in a residential street in Greater Manchester. A man in his 40s was hospitalised after being shot but his injuries were not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening. Officers were called to Kenwood Avenue in Leigh on Friday evening at around 11pm where they found the man with gunshot wounds. The suspect fled the scene and has not yet been found. Jim Kelly, who has lived in the area for 40 years, was at home with his wife when they heard what sounded like a 'firework'. He said: 'Me and my wife were going to bed and I saw a lot of lights in the street. We looked out and saw ambulances and police cars and we saw the police running about, heard that somebody had been shot. 'We're good friends with the family and we've known them since they moved in, they're lovely. I've not a clue why this would happen to them. 'My wife heard what she thought was a firework but obviously it was a gunshot. She heard one bang about 10:45 and then a helicopter came. There must've been about 30 or 40 police officers. It's unbelievable, it's such a shock. You don't expect it. We've lived here for years.' A man in his 40s was shot outside a house on Kenwood Avenue in Leigh on Friday evening Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Bell from GMP's Wigan and Leigh district said: 'We are investigating a firearms discharge that occurred overnight, and I want to reassure the community in the local area that this appears to be an isolated incident. 'I understand that incidents of this nature can cause concern among residents and since it occurred, we have taken all steps necessary to keep our investigation moving at pace. 'We have increased our presence in the area also with officers out on patrol. They are there for your safety but please speak to them if you have any concerns at all or information that might help with our investigation. 'This type of criminality does not belong on our streets. People should be safe and well in their own homes and we will be doing everything we can to bring those responsible to justice. 'You can report information to ourselves via 101. Alternatively, you can report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.