Prisoner tried to walk out of HMP Forest Bank in disguise

A prisoner tried to walk out of HMP Forest Bank while wearing a disguise.

The man, who thought he’d try his luck, dressed as a teacher in an attempt to walk free out of the prison in Agecroft, Salford.

It is understood the prisoner wore a hat similar to that belonging to a teacher in a bid to walk out of the jail.

But an alert and eagle-eyed member of staff noticed as he was in an authorised area and tried to get through the internal gates — it is understood.

The prisoner was challenged as per procedure and as a result, he had his access was denied.

One source told the MEN: “A vigilant member staff stopped a well planned escape, a prisoner pretended to be a member staff, a teacher to try to make his way out.”

Back in 2019, in a more dramatic break-out attempt, four masked men made their move as a taxi pulled out of Forest Bank prison’s visitors car park onto Agecroft Road. Armed with a sawn-off shotgun, they used their own car to block the cab’s path.

One of the gang then levelled the weapon at the window of the private hire vehicle and peered inside. But then, suddenly they turned around and left. 

The incident was actually a failed bid to spring a drugs kingpin from custody — but the gang swooped on the wrong man. 

The person in the taxi was an ex-prisoner who was being released that day and escorted to a halfway house in Manchester.