Prison van crashes into Manchester city centre coffee shop

Two people have been taken to hospital after a prison custody van crashed into a Caffè Nero in Manchester city centre.

The driver of the vehicle suffered a "medical episode" before the vehicle ploughed into the building on Portland Street, just before 9am.

A section the street has been closed while emergency services remainat the scene.

A statement from Greater Manchester Police read: "At 8.55am on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, police were called to reports of a collision on Portland Street, Manchester.

"Officers attended and established a prison van had collided with a building.

"Two people have been taken to hospital. It’s believed the driver of the van had suffered a medical episode.

"An investigation is underway. There was no third party involvement and no arrests have been made."

Portland Street remains shut inbound from Princess Street to New York Street.

A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said: "We werecalled at 8.57am. We sent a rapid response vehicle to Portland Street.

“It is a medical incident. We are still at the scene.”