THREE men will appear in court today charged with conspiracy to commit robbery after police shot dead a man in a village car park.

Anthony Grainger, 35, from Bolton, died of a single gunshot wound to the chest after the car he was in was stopped in the village of Culcheth, Cheshire, on Saturday evening in what police described as a "pre-planned operation".

David Totton, 33, of Rochdale Road, Manchester; Joseph Travers, 27, of no fixed address; and Robert Rimmer, 26, of Ainsbrook Avenue, New Moston, Manchester, were charged last night with conspiracy to commit robbery between January 24 2012 and March 3 2012, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

All three will appear before Manchester Magistrates Court today.

A spokesman said the men were charged as part of an investigation relating to conspiracy to commit robberies - two were arrested in Culcheth on Saturday night and a third was arrested in Manchester yesterday.

The pre-planned operation was understood to be part of a GMP-led investigation into a planned robbery in the area.

It came just weeks after an attempted robbery at a Co-op store in nearby Common Lane on February 18 in which a machete was used.

Officers from GMP’s Specialist Operations branch performed first aid, but Mr Grainger died. An inquest will be formally opened this afternoon at Warrington Coroners Court, said a spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating the incident.

"The independent investigation will consider the actions of all the officers at the scene, as well as the planning, decision making and implementation of the operation which led to the death," said.

Mr Grainger was a defendant in a multi-million pound drugs trial which led to a juror being jailed for contempt of court.

Joanne Fraill, 40, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment last year after she admitted exchanging Facebook messages with co-defendant Jamie Sewart, 34, who had already been acquitted, in August 2010.

Mr Grainger was later cleared of conspiracy to supply drugs but had already admitted handling stolen cars in connection with the case and was jailed for 20 months.

Tributes were left on Facebook, with one saying: "I love you Anthony, you are the one who will be in my heart forever , my fella, my best friend , my soul mate."

The message ended: "Hope you sleep well xxxx all my love Gail x"

The shooting, which happened in a car park in Jackson Avenue, sparked panic among residents, with villagers caught up in the stand-off and shepherded to safety comparing scenes to "something off a film".

Jessica Brown, 15, was with friends in the Village Pizza takeaway in Common Lane when they were advised to "stand back against the wall" so they were not hurt.

"I later looked out of the window and saw three people in black clothing with gas masks on and saw other people chasing them," she said.

She said a number of her friends gathered in a playground in Common Lane ran for cover as the scene unfolded, and one of her friend’s parents dashed to the takeaway to collect them.

"When we came outside there was gas in the air, you could smell it.

"I then saw a black van with three or four people inside drive towards the car park. One of them was leaning outside the window and I later heard shots."

GMP Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said yesterday: "Officers from our Specialist Operations branch were involved in a pre-planned operation that resulted in a car being stopped in the Culcheth area of Cheshire.

"As part of the operation, shots were fired and one man inside the vehicle was injured.

"The officers involved performed first aid on the victim at the scene but he sadly died. Two other men who were inside the car were arrested and will be questioned later today.

"This incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) who will carry out an independent inquiry to establish all the facts."

Mr Hopkins said he understood people in the Cheshire community, as well as Greater Manchester itself, could be anxious and there would be speculation about the event’s leading up to the man’s death, but said he could not go into specific details of the operation.

He said specially-trained family liaison officers were in contact with the man’s family, and said GMP, Cheshire Police and the IPCC would carry out a thorough investigation to establish all the facts.