Lancing woman shot with air rifle refused to go to A&E until game was finished

Other players, a woman and two men, were also hit with ball bearings but were uninjured in the attack on August 31 at Lancing Bowling Club.

According to Sussex Police, a group of young people were seen running away from the scene but police officers were unable to find them.

Frances Johnston, safeguarding officer at the club, said: “We had a normal club afternoon playing bowls. There were ten of us with six down at one end and four at the other end.

“Suddenly, the six down at one end felt what they thought were people throwing stones at them, they didn’t realise what it was.

“I walked down to see what was happening and one lady had a round, lead pellet embedded in her leg.”

Ms Johnston said the shots must have come from a small gap in the hedge fenced off with wire netting, adding: “Obviously, they shot through the wire netting.

“Someone ran out of the bowling club to see if they could apprehend them and all he could see was youngsters running away.

“I took everyone into the clubhouse and managed to clean the wound of this elderly lady in her nineties who had been punctured.

“She sustained a hole in her leg, it went right in. I managed to remove the bullet. They all insisted on playing their game so I took her to A&E later on for a tetanus injection.

“It was quite shocking really. We found about 12 missiles on the bowling green, some the size of a large pea.

“We called the police and they came and took away the ball bearings and they are looking for the youngsters who did this.

“It was one of those freak incidents I think. We are just hoping that nothing will happen again.”

The woman was part way through a game of bowls when she was shot in the leg (Image: Google)

Sussex Police are asking for witnesses to help them find the attackers and said they will make themselves more visible around the area the crime took place this week.

Read more: Police launch appeal after woman in her 90s is shot with an air rifle

A spokesman said: “A report was received of an air rifle being fired around Lancing Bowls Club in Manor Road at 2.25pm on Wednesday.

“One person – a woman in her 90s – suffered minor injuries. A group of young people were seen running from the scene.

“Officers attended and conducted an extensive search of the area but could not locate them.

“Neighbourhood policing officers will be maintaining a visible presence around the area over the coming days.”

Councillor Carol Albury, who represents Manor Ward in Lancing, said Sussex Police have agreed to hold a briefing in Lancing Manor on Friday at 4pm.

“The absolute shock and disgust that this could happen in broad daylight and these boys are carrying around these guns or air rifles,” she said.

“It was busy, at 2.20 in the afternoon. There was no way anyone would expect this to happen. There were lots of children around.

“To fire with the potential to hit somebody... it was not an accident, they were obviously using them as targets, it was unbelievable.”

In response to the witness appeal, she said: “I think that has been done by pressure because of the amount of press cover it has got.

“Sadly, the police are overstretched. They have said they are going to do some more walking around the park so that in itself is a big deterrent.

“We have a lot of these young teenagers who have nothing to do.”

The councillor also said that the famous Brighton boxer Scott Welch is currently setting up a scheme with Lancing Parish Council to keep teenagers occupied.

“It’s still in the teething process,” she said.

“He has done this before, in London and Brighton, he gets a building and sets up things for these sorts of youths to do.

“Maybe that’s the answer because there is nothing for that age group to do.”