Former gangland figure known as “Mr Big” has been shot dead outside his home in what police described as a “targeted attack”.

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Paul Massey

A former gangland figure known as “Mr Big” has been shot dead outside his home in what police described as a “targeted attack”.

Father-of-five Paul Massey was killed at a property in Clifton, Salford, on Sunday evening.

Police were called to the address following reports of shots being fired at around 7.30pm on Sunday.

Police have cordoned off the scene of the shooting

Security has been stepped up in the area and there have been calls for calm amid fears his murder will spark further gang violence.

The 55-year-old victim, who unsuccessfully stood for the office of mayor in his home city in 2012, was a well-known security firm boss.

He had been jailed for 14 years in 1999 for stabbing a man and at his sentencing the judge described Mr Massey as being “no stranger to violence”.

Prior to his conviction, two court cases in which he had been the defendant collapsed.

And during the 1990s it is claimed he was under surveillance by a specialist branch of MI5, which monitors organised crime.

His underworld connections also led him to be asked to act as a mediator to calm feuds between gangs in other parts of the UK and Greater Manchester.

Flowers have been left close to where Mr Massey was killed

Superintendent Russ Jackson said: “People will understandably be alarmed when they hear about this incident, which we believe was a targeted attack.

“I would like to reassure the public that we have a heightened level of police officers in the area… while we establish the full circumstances of the incident and identify those responsible.

“We are actively following a number of lines of enquiry, however I would urge the local community to come forward if they saw or heard anything in the area.

“I urge anybody with any information about what’s happened tonight to come forward. I want to stress that any information received will be treated in the strictest confidence.”