Man shot with a BB gun in Littlehampton

Police were called to Sea Road, where the incident took place, shortly before 10.50pm.

The man, who suffered minors injuries, said he believed a group of four or five youths had used a BB gun to fire the pellet.

However, after a search of the area, officers from Littlehampton were unable to track down the gang.

It is an offence to posses an unlicensed BB gun or imitation fire arm under the Violent Crime Reduction Act.

BB guns are regularly used in a sport known as airsoft. The sport- much like paintballing- requires all participants to be registered with a legitimate airsofting site.

James Stancomb, who runs a regular, licensed, airsofting club at Ford Air Rifle Ranges, in Yapton, has called on tougher action to be taken on those illegally using BB guns.

He said: “People like these are giving airsofters a horrendous name.

“BB guns should only ever be used on a registered site and never, under any circumstance, in your back garden or out in your road.

“But the yobs who roam the streets shooting other people like this should be locked up. So should the people who sold them the BB guns. It’s a disgrace.”

Now, police have warned that children playing with BB guns, could trigger an armed police response.

Chief Inspector Jane Derrick, District Commander of Arun district, said: “Luckily on this occasion the victim was aware that the weapon which fired the pellet was a BB gun and an armed response unit was not called to assist officers in the search for the youths.

“BB or similar spring-loaded weapons are manufactured in such a way that it is sometimes difficult for the officers to tell them apart from the real thing without close examination. This means that anyone carrying or using one of these weapons in public could easily find themselves confronted by armed police officers.

“Anyone carrying a loaded BB gun in a public place could find themselves being arrested and could be subject to a fine or £5,000, six months’ imprisonment or both. BB guns must not be carried on show or be used in public.”

Anyone with information regarding the Littlehampton incident is asked to contact Sussex Police on 0845 60 70 999 quoting serial 246 of 21/7 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.