Armed police flooded the streets on Ordsall Lane in Ordsall tonight after reports that a man in a flat had a handgun.
At 10pm on Wednesday 1 July tactical aid units swarmed onto the estate.
As lightning crackled overhead residents heard sirens and saw police armed with MP4 submachine guns storm a nearby flat.
Some reported the sound of a woman screaming.
But the report turned out to be fake, say police.
Officers conducted a thorough search of the building but found no evidence of a gun.
A spokesperson from Greater Manchester Police said: “A male has been issued with a fixed penalty notice for wasting police time.”
