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Police have launched a manhunt after a prisoner escaped while working as a car valet.

John Laidlaw, serving time for three counts of attempted murder, vanished following his car valeting shift at Kirklevington Grange Prison, Stockton-on-Tees, on Monday afternoon (May 4).

The 44-year-old is employed in the car valeting service at the prison, which is open to members of the public.

He absconded from the jail, where he had recently been on "unsupervised day release on a regular basis", shortly after 2pm according to Cleveland Police.

He was reported missing to the force just after 4.30pm.

When John was last spotted, he was wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, blue cargo style trousers and white and blue trainers.

Officers are deploying dogs and a drone to assist in tracking down the fugitive while scanning CCTV footage.

Members of the public are strongly advised not to approach him.

Laidlaw, from the Hertfordshire area, was convicted of three attempted murders and imprisoned in 2007.

He was transferred to Kirklevington Prison in 2024.

Laidlaw was found guilty of the attempted murder of three passers-by in north London in 2006.

He was on probation following an earlier racist attack when he carried out the 'shooting spree' in Islington and Finsbury Park.

The court heard that he "threatened to kill all black people" before he was found guilty of the attempted murder of Mr Kamara, Mr Baptiste, and Ms Sheridan in the attacks, which were captured on CCTV.

Abu Kamara, a 44-year-old black social worker, was shot in the neck while making his way for an after-work drink.

Later that same evening, Laidlaw opened fire on another black man, Evans Baptiste, in a bustling tunnel leading to Finsbury Park tube station, with Emma Sheridan caught in the crossfire.

He was additionally found guilty on two counts of firearm possession.

Superintendent John Wrintmore said on Monday evening: "John Laidlaw was reported missing to Cleveland Police at around 4.30pm today.

"We have officers and dogs doing land searches around the area of the prison, and we have deployed the drone as we continue our efforts to locate him. We are also quickly working through CCTV footage and conducting numerous lines of enquiry.

"John is not from the area, so at the moment we have no indication where he may be headed, or if he may have travelled from Yarm train station, either North or South.

"Whilst I understand there may be concerns amongst people in the local area, I can say we do know John has regularly been on day release from the prison, unsupervised.

"Anyone who thinks they might have seen John is asked not to approach him, but to dial 999."