THE CALLOUS killer who gunned down a boy of five in a Bolton street could have been captured on video film.

Detectives were today studying footage from business premises as a massive hunt was under way for the gunman who slaughtered the child in what police believe was a drugs-related revenge attack.

Dillon Hull died on the pavement in Bankfield Street, Deane - just yards from his home - with two bullets to the head. His stepfather John Bates, 28, was shot once in the stomach. Mr Bates, the son of a fruiterer on Bolton's Ashburner Street Market, was today under armed guard in an un-named hospital. Police fear that he could be the target of another attack.

He was moved last night from the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Detective Superintendent Peter Ellis is leading the hunt for the lone gunman, who fled after the shooting in Bankfield Street at 5pm last night.

He said today: "Because of the cold-blooded nature of the shooting, we decided to move him to another hospital for his own safety. There is a strong possibility he may still be in danger."

Detectives believe there was a drugs involvement in the attack and that Mr Bates was the target.

They are investigating an earlier shooting incident in which a window was smashed at the family's home in nearby Jauncey Street.

The boss of a double glazing firm that replaced windows at Mr Bates' Jauncey Street home only yesterday told how workmen found a window shattered and a bullet hole in a wall on the other side of the room.

Alan Moores, of Express Glaze in Ashton under Lyne, said his company was called in by Mr Bates.

Police are investigating a link between that incident and the fatal shooting.

Businesses on Deane Road agreed to let officers view the footage from CCTV systems in a bid to frame the gunman.

Police are appealing for people who travelled on the 458 bus who may have seen the gunman running away down Deane Road into Fearn Street at 5 pm yesterday teatime to come forward.

Witnesses said the killer was wearing a gold coloured crash helmet, and had arrived in Bankfield Street in a yellow Metro.

The helmet, which the gunman threw away after the killing, is now being examined by forensic experts.

Several witnesses have told police the yellow Metro had been seen circling the area near the family's home in Jauncey Street - which joins on to Bankfield Street- just before the shooting.

Police are following various lines of enquiry today amid fears the shooting was drugs-related.

Mr Ellis said: "Lines of enquiry tend to lead towards the fact this is a drugs-related enquiry but I must stress there are other lines of enquiry."

He added: "If this is connected to illegal drug activity I would say to them, how do they tolerate the death of a five year old boy shot in the street?"

He believes someone locally could be harbouring the killer.

The killer is described as white, 5ft 10ins to 6ft tall, slim, with dark brown, possibly curly, hair, and was wearing a green or purple anorak, black trousers and black shoes.

Mr Ellis urged local residents to stay calm. He said: "This is an isolated incident."

It is still not clear if Dillon was the intended target. The detective said: "It could be that Dillon was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is a tragic waste of life.

"It is very, very difficult to describe anybody who is prepared to shoot fatally a five-year-old boy."

"It is very very difficult to assess the state of mind of the man we are looking for.

"He had a total disregard for human life and for who would be injured as a result of him discharging the firearm."

Mr Ellis said he was convinced someone knew the gunman's identity - the killer could be known by someone involved in the drugs world.

He went on: "If we are talking about people involved in illegal drugs activity where do these people draw the line?

"Do they tolerate the death of a five-year-old boy, shot dead as he played in the street?"

Officers from Greater Manchester Police's Tactical Aid Group were making a finger-tip search of the route the gunman is thought to have taken as he fled.

Police believe it may be possible he threw away the murder weapon - believed to be a handgun - as he ran through nearby streets.

Mr Ellis said officers would be waiting to interview Mr Bates in hospital, after he had been examined by doctors.

The wounded man has been co-operating with detectives, he added.

Dillon's mother, Jane Hull, who gave birth to a baby boy only two days ago, spent most of the night at Mr Bates' side in hospital, where she was being comforted by relatives.

Mrs Hull was said to be still in shock and will receive specialist bereavement counselling later today.

Dillon died of "massive head injuries", according to Greater Manchester Ambulance Service.

Detective Superintendent Ellis, said: "Neighbours heard three shots followed by Mr Bates's screams for help.

"Apparently the first shot was fired at the father, but the next two hit the little boy."

Dillon used his mother Jane's surname of Hull. Mr Bates had gone to bring him in for his tea when he decided to go for the bottle of pop and made to take a short cut down the alleyway.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.