A thug 'went berserk in a city centre restaurant, battering fellow customers with a heavy gold chain and threatening to shoot them', an eyewitness claims.

The terrifying incident is said to have unfolded at Turtle Bay on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter on Saturday night.

The offender, said to be a man in his 20s, got into an argument after he tried to buy a drink for a young woman in the Caribbean bar and was rejected, it is believed.

The Manchester Evening News has been told the man sparked a brawl involving as many as 20 people in Turtle Bay.

The perpetrator took off a gold chain he was wearing and used it as a weapon, inflicting injuries on a number of victims, an eyewitness said.

Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt.

Police attended the incident just before midnight last Saturday

It is understood staff at Turtle Bay first called police at around 11.45pm, but the man had fled by the time officers arrived.

However, it is believed a suspect was arrested after returning to the scene in a black Audi that was pursued by poilce.

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"It started in Turtle Bay," an eyewitness said.

"He offered to buy a girl a drink, she was with her boyfriend and said 'thanks but no thanks'.

"Before you know it, there was about 20 people involved."

"The whole incident lasted about half an hour, the man took his gold chain off and was hitting customers within the venue.

"Then he was threatening he was going to come back with a gun and shoot everyone.

"A doorman was injured, he was punched in the face.

"A girl and a boy had cuts to the face but luckily no one was seriously hurt.

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"I've never seen anything like it, the bar staff were quite shaken up."

Turtle Bay declined to comment when contacted by the M.E.N.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said police were called to reports of 'verbal threats' but could not confirm any further details.

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