Police hunt for a man with an axe continues in Leeds today

He is thought to have been driving a van which was involved in a collision with three other vehicles at the junction of Scott Hall Road and Sheepscar Street North at about 5.30pm yesterday.

The man fled from the scene in a white van and was potentially seen close to the Arndale Centre in Headingley a short time later, where he is believed to have used the axe to remove a secured bicycle after abandoning the van close by.

He is then thought to have abandoned the bike close to St Chad’s Rise and gone into woods.

The Leeds Beckett University Headingley campus was put into lockdown last night as a significant police search for the man began and residents were warned to stay indoors.

He was described as being white, in his thirties or forties, with a black beard and a flat cap. He was also believed to be wearing a light coloured jacket and jeans.

Staff and students were given the all-clear late last night but West Yorkshire Police confirmed this morning that the man was still on the loose and they are still looking for him.

Last night Supt Lisa Atkinson, of Leeds District Police, had said: “No one has been seriously hurt and it appears the male has only used the axe as a means of stealing the van and the bicycle, but we would urge anyone who sees this male not to approach him and to contact police on 999, so we can locate him and detain him.”