Paul Massey 'gunned down by masked man'

A lone masked gunman in "military-style clothing" murdered a "Mr Big" nightclub security boss outside his home in Salford as he got out of his car.

Paul Massey, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene of the targeted attack on Sunday evening.

The father-of-five had managed to call emergency services from his driveway to say he had been shot and needed help.

Several eyewitnesses saw the offender approach Massey at about 7.30pm as he got out of his silver BMW vehicle in Manchester Road in Clifton and shoot at him before he left on foot down the side of nearby St Anne's Church, said police.

The assailant, a white male, was said to be wearing a green or khaki military-style top and trousers, with the lower part of his face concealed.

Mr Massey's body has not yet been formally identified but his next-of-kin have been informed.

Massey is a well-known figure in Salford, and had been involved in security firms operating in Manchester and beyond.

He was born and raised in the city and enjoyed a popular and fearsome reputation - despite being not much over five feet tall and continuing to live a modest life in his home town.

He had first been dubbed "Mr Big" by a local councillor in Salford following civil disturbances in the city in the 1990s, and he was later jailed for 14 years for a savage knife attack outside a nightclub in Manchester city centre.

• Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.