Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver attacked with machete


A CABBIE was attacked with a meat cleaver as he tried to fight off two passengers who tried to rob him.

The 34-year-old driver suffered serious hand injuries and a four-inch gash to his face in the scuffle with the 'Bonnie and Clyde'-style thugs.

He was today recovering in hospital as cops launched a city-wide hunt for the bungling robbers - a woman aged 20 and a man of 25 - behind the attack.

They dropped the weapon as they fled the scene.

It has now been sent for forensic analysis in the hope it could yield vital fingerprint and DNA clues to their identities.

The pair had tricked the private hire driver into picking them up in Shard End in the early hours of yesterday with the promise of a fare to Sheldon.

The woman, described as mixed race and 5ft 2in tall, got into the front passenger seat while her white male companion jumped in the rear behind the driver.

Within seconds he pulled out a meat cleaver and held it to the driver's throat while the woman rifled through his pockets.

Det Con Dave MacCall, from the Stechford Robbery Team, said: "At this point the driver started to fight back.

"He suffered a nasty-looking four-inch cut to his chin and a nasty cut to his hands and the offenders managed to escape."

It is thought he suffered tendon damage to his hand and could require further surgery to repair the wound. He has already seen specialists at Selly oak Hospital.

The pair fled with cash and a mobile phone but left behind the weapon.

The incident happened at about 2am and Det Con MacCall said their initial searches for the pair centred on the Bradley Road and Hurst Lane area of Shard End.

He added: "I would appeal to anyone with any information about this incident or who may have seen the offenders running from the scene to contact us."

The male offender was 6ft tall and stocky. Both he and the female offender wore dark coloured clothing and a woolly hat.

Anyone with information should call the Stechford Robbery Team on 0845 113 5000 or the anonymous Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555111.

Not sure of what to make of that.