BBC staff in Salford offered security escorts after shooting

Personal-security escorts are being offered to BBC staff struggling to adjust to life at their new headquarters at Salford after an air rifle was shot at an employee as he cycled home.

A spate of petty crimes led Rhian Roberts, Radio 5 Live's head of development, to admit that the Greater Manchester suburb was a "different kettle of fish" to the corporation's old West London base – despite crime rates being lower in Salford than in White City.

A rush of petty crimes, including the theft of items such as laptops and iPads, led her to say staff could be accompanied to "nearby car parks and tram stops" by security guards at their request. The remarks were revealed in a leaked email sent last night.