POLICE last night warned a city’s underworld not to embark on a tit-for-tat shooting war, after a gangster was gunned down in the street.

Nicky Ayers, 46, was killed in the early hours of yesterday, close to his daughter’s home in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police say they are keeping an open mind about the motive for the murder but also warned they will not tolerate an escalation of gun crime.

Mr Ayers was thought to be involved in north Liverpool factions involved in a turf war over drugs.

Recently the battle has even spread to the football pitch with a number of incidents disrupting Sunday League games between teams associated with the gangs.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Keelan, who is leading the investigation into Mr Ayers’s murder, said it remained too early to say if the shooting was gang-related.

But he added: “We are appealing for information from the community which may assist us with that line of inquiry.

“Issues around football teams on Merseyside are a line of inquiry we are also pursuing.

“There have been a number of incidents reported recently, but we are keeping an open mind about what brought about the murder of Mr Ayers.”

Paramedics found Mr Ayers collapsed outside a house in South Cantril Avenue, West Derby, at around 12.10am yesterday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said he had been to his daughter’s house nearby but left there at 9pm and officers want to establish his movements afterwards.

Mr Keelan said the victim was a “family man” and described the murder as “dreadful”.