Armed police who shot dead a man after he opened fire on a woman and two officers have been cleared by an independent inquiry.

Craig King, 32, was killed by armed officers after he opened fire on a house where a woman and the officers were sheltering.

Mr King smashed the windows of the house in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester with the machete before also attacking a 4x4 vehicle parked in the street.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission launched an inquiry into the death and announced the officers had committed no crime and there was no evidence of misconduct.

After breaking the windows of the house on Crawford Street, Mr King had fled in his car.

The occupants of the house, thought to include Mr King's sister, called police shortly after 6.10pm.

Two unarmed officers arrived to investigate the incident and stayed at the house.

An hour later, while the officers were still present, Mr King, from Acre Court, in Salford, drove past the terraced house and fired a shot at it.

Officers called for back-up and two Armed Response units comprising of four officers arrived at the scene of the incident on September 10. At around 8.12pm Mr King returned to the property and confronted officers, who opened fire.

First aid was administered and Mr King was taken to the Tameside General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 9pm.