Police have insisted firearms offences will not be tolerated in Bradford – despite revealing nobody will be prosecuted over a shooting outside a car wash business.

Detectives have carried out in-depth investigations since the incident last August, near Mr Shine’s Motorwise Hand Car Wash in Toller Lane, Heaton, Bradford.

A blue car was reported to have been hit by two bullets as it drove past the car valeting business in daylight. Two Bradford men, aged 29 and 24, who were in the car, escaped injury.

West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team launched an investigation.

A hand-gun and an imitation firearm capable of being converted to fire live rounds were recovered from the car wash premises and were subjected to detailed forensic examination.

Five men, aged 18 to 34, were arrested during the inquiry and released on bail while the investigation continued.

Senior investigating officer, Acting Detective Chief Inspector Simon Atkinson, has now revealed all five have been released without charge.

Acting Det Chief Insp Atkinson said: “I am as disappointed as anybody, but we work on evidence, and the evidence to mount a successful prosecution just was not there.

“While on this occasion we weren’t able to charge anybody, we have got a very successful firearms team which is having significant results in Bradford.

“We have taken a number of firearms out of circulation, and the positive aspect of this incident is that we recovered firearms.

“Unfortunately, in this case we were unable to put weapons to individuals from a forensic point of view, despite going down a number of forensic avenues.

“It is not for the want of trying. It has been a long investigation. We had a good response from the public to our appeals and I am grateful to those people who came forward. Firearms discharges in Bradford won’t be tolerated and we will act on any information the public gives us. I hope people wont be deterred. They should see this as a success and not a failure.”

But a member of the community, speaking anonymously, said people were concerned nobody was to be prosecuted.

The resident said: “Firearms were found and everybody was positive that somebody would be prosecuted. It is a good thing when any weapon is taken off the streets, but the people responsible for this are still out there. They have the opportunity to bring in more weapons and do it again.

“We cannot understand how it is that no charges have been brought. The people who did this, in broad daylight, did not have face coverings. They weren’t scared to be seen.”

Anyone with information about gun crime can contact West Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.