Boy, 11, lucky to be alive after being 'shot in head' after climbing fence to retrieve football
The 11-year-old sustained the injury after climbing over a garden fence to get a football
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A schoolboy is lucky to be alive after he was shot in the head after climbing a garden fence to retrieve a football.
The 11-year-old was rushed to hospital with a fractured skull after he was struck with an “air weapon”.
Police say he is extremely fortunate that he did not suffer more serious injuries or was even killed.
He had been playing with his friends on Roadtrain Avenue in Leyland, Lancashire, when the ball went over the fence at around 7.20pm on Monday.
The 11-year-old was left with a fractured skull after he was struck with an 'air weapon'
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Climbing over the perimeter to try and locate it, the 11-year-old was struck with the pellet.
He was then hurried to Alder Hey hospital to undergo an operation on his fractured skull.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said that the child is now recovering.
An investigation into the incident has since been launched.
The boy was rushed to Adler Hey Hospital
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Det Con Paul Brown, of South CID, said: “This incident has left a young boy with some really significant injuries, and it is fortunate he was not more seriously hurt or even killed.
“We are carrying out a number of enquiries to try and identify the person or persons responsible and I would appeal to anyone who saw what happened, has any dashcam or Ring doorbell footage, or who has any information which could assist our investigation to get in touch.
“I’m sure someone in the local community knows who is responsible for what’s happened to this young boy and I would urge them to come and speak to us.
"You can call us on 101 quoting log 1410 of May 20 or alternatively you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously and in confidence on 0800 555 111.”