Drugs officers raid wrong house

A total of 21 people were arrested following the raids

Police officers smashed their way into the wrong house during a series of dawn raids targeting drug dealers.

Officers dressed in riot gear in Bolton said they accidentally targeted the house of a woman in her 50s.

They piled through the window after one of them had smashed through it with a hammer. They shouted "Police!" but said they quickly realised their mistake.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said it had apologised and would ensure the damage to the property was repaired.

The occupant was at home at the time of the raid. Police declined to say how she had reacted.

'Went wrong'

A statement from Greater Manchester Police read: "As part of an ongoing operation to target drug-related crime in Bolton, officers entered the wrong house.

"Officers will be reviewing what went wrong in order to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Two policemen went round to the woman's house and took her flowers and apologised.

GMP declined to say how the mistake was made. They said this was because they did not want to identify her home.

Police have now been given extra time to question 15 of the 21 people arrested during the raids which were part of Operation Hercules.

The 19 men and two women were taken to police stations across Greater Manchester and questioned in connection with supplying Class A drugs.

Four have been bailed pending further inquiries and two have been released without charge. Police also seized cash, two cars, an imitation firearm and a quantity of drugs.